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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 

OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 

PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcliive 

in  2010  witli  funding  from 

University  of  Nortli  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://www.archive.org/details/marcyrefugee01cast 


Marcy  in  Action. 


CASTLEMON'S   WAR   SERIES, 


Marcy,  the  Refugee. 


BY 

HARRY   CASTLEMON, 

author  of  "  gunboat  series,"  "  rocky  mountain  series,' 
"sportsman's  club  series,"  etc.,  etc. 


Four  Illustrations  by  Geo.  G.   IVhite. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

PORTER  &L  COATES. 


Copyright,  1892, 

BY 

PORTER  &  COATES. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

I. 

What  Brought  Beardsley  Home, 

1 

n. 

Allison  is  Surprised,  .        .        .        . 

23 

III. 

The  Neighborhood  Gossip,     , 

.       43 

IV. 

Visitors  in  Plenty,      .        .        .        . 

66 

V. 

Marcy's  Rash  Wish, 

.       92 

VI. 

The  Wish  Gratified,   .        .        .        . 

116 

VII. 

Marcy  Speaks  His  Mind, 

.     140 

VIII. 

The  Arrival  of  the  Fleet, 

164 

IX. 

Looking  for  a  Pilot, 

.     190 

X. 

Beardsley  in  Trouble, 

214 

XI. 

Marcy  in  Action,      .... 

.     239 

XII. 

Home  Again, 

264 

XIII. 

A  Rebel  Soldier  Speaks, 

.     287 

XIV. 

A  Yankee  Scouting  Party, 

310 

XV. 

Marcy  Sees  Somebody,     . 

.     340 

XVI. 

A  Friend  in  Gray,       .        .        .       . 

361 

XVII. 

Marcy  Takes  to  the  Swamp, 

.     385 

^VIII. 

Conclusion, 

406 

602906 


MARCY,  THE  REFUGEE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

WHAT  BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME. 

IN  this  story  we  take  up  once  more  the  his- 
tory of  the  exploits  and  adventures  of  our 
Union  hero  Marcy  Gray,  the  North  Carolina 
boy,  who  tried  so  hard  and  so  unsuccessfully 
to  be  "True  to  his  Colors."  Marcy,  as  we 
know,  was  loyal  to  the  old  flag  but  he  had  had 
few  opportunities  to  prove  it,  until  he  took 
his  brother,  Sailor  Jack,  out  to  the  Federal 
blockading  fleet  in  his  little  schooner  Fairy 
Belle ^  to  give  him  a  chance  to  enlist  in  the 
navy.  That  was  by  far  the  most  dangerous 
undertaking  in  which  Marcy  had  ever  engaged, 
and  at  the  time  of  wlilch  w«  write,- he  had  not 
seen  the  beginning  of  the  trouble  it  was  des- 
tined to  bring  him.     Not  only  was  he  liable  to 


2  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

be  overhauled  by  the  Confederates  Avhen  he 
attempted  to  pass  their  forts  at  Plymouth  and 
Roanoke  Island,  but  he  Avas  in  danger  of  being- 
shot  to  pieces  by  the  watchful  steam  launches 
of  the  Union  fleet  that  had  of  late  taken  to 
patrolling  the  coast.  But  he  came  through 
without  any  very  serious  mishaps,  and  re- 
turned to  his  home  to  find  the  plantation  in  an 
uproar,  and  his  mother  in  a  most  anxious 
frame  of  mind. 

Although  Marcy  Gray  was  a  good  pilot  for 
that  part  of  the  coast,  and  knew  all  its  little 
bays  and  out-of-the-way  inlets  as  well  as  he 
knew  the  road  from  his  home  to  the  post-ofRce, 
his  older  brother  Jack  was  the  real  sailor  of 
the  family.  He  made  his  living  on  the  water. 
At  the  time  we  first  brought  him  to  the  notice 
of  the  reader  he  had  been  at  sea  for  more  than 
two  years,  and  it  was  while  he  was  on  his  way 
home  that  his  vessel,  the  Sabine,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  Captain  Semmes,  who  had  just  begun 
his  piratical  career  in  the  Confederate  steamer 
Sumter.  But,  fortunately  for  Jack,  Semmes 
was  not  as  vigilant  in  those  days  as  he  after- 
ward became.     He  gave  the  Sabine^ s  crew  an 


WHAT   BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME,  3 

opportunity  to  recapture  their  vessel  and 
escape  from  his  power,  and  they  were  prompt 
to  improve  it.  By  the  most  skilful  manoeu- 
vring, and  without  firing  a  shot,  they  made 
prisoners  of  the  prize  crew  that  Semmes  had 
put  on  board  the  Sabine,  turned  them  over  to 
the  Union  naval  authorities  at  Key  West,  and 
took  their  vessel  to  a  Northern  port.  On  the 
way  to  Boston,  and  while  she  was  off  the  coast 
of  North  Carolina,  the  brig  was  pursued  and 
fired  at  by  a  little  schooner  which  turned  out 
to  be  Captain  Beardsley's  privateer  O^pre?/,  on 
which  Marcy  Gray  was  serving  in  the  capacity 
of  pilot. 

When  Jack  Gray  found  himself  in  Boston, 
the  first  thing  he  thought  of  was  getting  home. 
The  Potomac  being  closely  guarded  against 
mail-carriers  and  smugglers  who,  in  spite  of 
all  the  precautions  taken  against  them,  contin- 
ued to  pass  freely,  and  almost  without  detec- 
tion, between  the  lines  as  long  as  the  war 
lasted,  the  only  plan  he  could  pursue  was  to 
go  by  water.  Being  intensely  loyal  Jiimself, 
Jack  never  dreamed  tliat  Northern  men  Avould 
be  guilty  of  loading  vessels  to  run  the  block- 


4  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ade,  but  there  was  at  least  one  sncli  craft  in 
Boston — the  West  Wind;  and  through  the  good 
offices  of  his  old  commander,  the  captain  of 
the  Sabine,  Jack  Gray  was  shipped  on  board  of 
her  as  second  mate  and  pilot.  Her  cargo  was 
duly  consigned  to  some  house  in  Havana,  but 
the  owners  meant  that  it  should  be  sold  in 
Newbern ;  and  there  were  scattered  about 
among  the  bales  and  boxes  in  her  hold,  a  good 
many  packages  that  would  have  brought  the 
vessel  and  all  connected  with  her  into  serious 
trouble,  if  they  had  been  discovered  by  the 
custom-house  officers. 

When  the  West  Wind  was  a  short  distance 
out  from  Boston,  the  second  mate  learned-  by 
accident  that  one  of  his  best  foremast  hands' 
was  also  bound  for  his  home  in  North  Carolina. 
His  name  was  Aleck  Webster,  and  his  father 
lived  on  a  small  plantation  which  was  not 
more  than  an  hour's  ride  from  Nashville. 
Being  a  poor  man  Mr.  Webster  did  not  stand 
very  high  in  the  estimation  of  his  rich  neigh- 
bors, but  that  made  no  sort  of  difference  to 
Jack  Gray,  and  a  warm  and  lasting  friendship 
at  once  sprung  up  between  officer  and  man. 


WHAT  BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME.  5 

Althoiigli  they  belonged  to  a  vessel  that  Avas 
fitted  out  to  run  the  blockade  they  were  both 
strong  for  the  Union,  and  many  an  hour  of  the 
mid-watch  did  they  while  away  in  talking 
over  the  situation.  All  they  knew  about  their 
friends  at  home  was  that  they  were  opposed  to 
secession  ;  but  they  dared  not  say  so,  because 
they  were  surrounded  by  rebels  who  would 
have  been  glad  of  an  excuse  to  burn  them  out 
of  house  and  home.  The  two  friends  got 
angry  as  often  as  they  talked  of  these  things, 
but  of  course  they  could  not  decide  upon  a 
plan  of  operations  until  they  had  been  at  home 
long  enough  to  "see  how  the  Avind  set,"  and 
"  how  the  land  lay."  We  have  told  what  they 
did  when  they  got  ashore.  When  they  were 
paid  off  and  discharged  in  Newbern  they  made 
their  way  home  by  different  routes,  Jack 
arousing  his  brother  in  the  dead  of  the  night 
by  tossing  pebbles  against  his  bedroom  win- 
dow, and  afterward  going  off  to  the  Federal 
fleet  to  enlist  under  the  flag  he  believed  in. 
Aleck  Webster  remained  ashore  for  a  longer 
time  ;  and  finding  that  his  father  belonged  to  an 
organized  band  of  Union  men  who  held  secret 


6  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

meetings  in  the  swamp,  and  whose  object  it 
was  to  oppose  the  tactics  pursued  by  their 
rebel  neighbors,  he  joined  his  fortunes  with 
tlieirs,  and  went  to  work  with  such  energy  that 
in  Jess  that  two  weeks'  time  he  had  the  settle- 
ment in  such  a  panic  that  its  prominent  citizens 
thought  seriously  of  calling  upon  the  garrison 
at  Plymouth  for  protection. 

It  was  Mrs.  Gray's  misfortune  to  have  many 
secret  enemies  about  her,  and  the  meanest  and 
most  dangerous  among  them  were  Lon  Beards- 
ley,  who  lived  on  an  adjoining  plantation, 
and  was  the  owner  and  captain  of  the  schooner 
to  which  Marcy  belonged,  and  her  overseer, 
whose  name  was  Hanson.  Beardsley's  enmify 
was  purely  personal  ;  but  with  Hanson  it  was 
a  matter  of  dollars  and  cents.  The  captain 
took  Marcy  to  sea  against  his  will,  because 
he  wanted  to  persecute  his  mother  ;  while  the 
overseer  was  working  for  the  large  reward 
Colonel  Shelby  had  promised  to  give  if  Han- 
son would  bring  him  positive  information 
that  Mrs.  Gray  w^as  in  reality  the  Union 
woman  she  was  supposed  to  be,  and  that  she 
had  money  concealed  in  her  house.      When 


WHAT   BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME.  7 

Sailor  Jack  had  been  at  home  long  enough  to 
find  out  how  and  by  whom  his  mother  was  be- 
ing persecuted,  he  told  Aleck  Webster  about 
it,  and  the  latter  stopped  it  so  quickly  that 
everybody  was  astonished,  and  the  guilty  ones 
alarmed. 

AVhile  Marcy  was  gone  to  take  his  brother 
out  to  the  fleet,  a  very  strange  and  startling 
incident  happened  on  Mrs.  Gray's  plantation. 
Sailor  Jack  had  predicted  that  the  morning 
was  coming  when  the  negroes  would  not  hear 
the  horn  blown  to  call  them  to  their  work,  for 
the  very  good  reason  that  there  would  be  no 
overseer  on  the  plantation  to  blow  it,  and  his 
prediction  had  been  verified.  One  dark  night, 
just  after  Marcy  and  Jack  set  out  on  their 
perilous  voyage,  a  band  of  masked  men  came 
to  the  plantation,  took  Hanson,  the  overseer, 
out  of  his  house  and  carried  him  away. 
Where  he  was  now  none  could  tell  for  certain  ; 
but  Marcy  had  heard  from  Aleck  Webster  that 
he  had  been  "turned  loose  with  orders  never 
to  show  his  face  in  the  settlement  again." 
Perhaps  he  had  gone  for  good  ;  but  the 
fear  that  he  might  some   day   come  back  to 


6  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

tiouble  her  caused  Mrs.  Gray  no  little  uneas- 
iness. 

While  every  one  else  in  the  settlement  was 
so  excited  and  uneasy,  and  wondering  what 
other  mysterious  things  were  about  to  happen, 
Marcy  Gray  was  as  calm  as  a  summer's  morn- 
ing. To  use  his  own  words,  he  was  "getting 
ready  to  settle  down  to  business."  The  over- 
seer being  gone,  there  was  no  one  but  himself 
left  to  manage  the  plantation  ;  and  he  was 
glad  to  have  the  resjjonsibility,  for  it  gave  him 
something  to  occupy  his  mind.  When  Aleck 
Webster  told  him  that  Hanson  would  not 
trouble  him  or  his  motlier  any  more,  he  had 
also  given  him  the  assurance  that  he  would 
never  again  be  obliged  to  go  to  sea  as  Captain 
Beardsley's  pilot.  There  was  a  world  of  com- 
fort in  the  words,  and  Marcy  hoped  the  man 
knew  what  he  was  promising  when  he  uttered 
them  ;  but  he  thought  he  would  feel  more  at 
his  ease  when  he  saw  Beardsley's  schooner  at 
her  moorings  in  the  creek,  and  Beardsley  him- 
self at  work  in  the  field  with  his  negroes. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  on  which  our 
story  begins,  the  leaden  clouds  hung  low,  and 


WHAT  BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY    HOME.  9 

tlie  j)iercing  wind  wliicli  came  off  tlie  Sound, 
bringing  with  it  occasional  daslies  of  rain,  and 
scattering  the  few  remaining  leaves  the  early 
frosts  had  left  upon  the  trees,  seemed  to  cause 
no  little  discomfort  to  the  young  horseman 
who  was  riding  along  the  road  that  led  from 
his  father's  plantation  to  the  village  of  Nash- 
ville. He  had  turned  the  collar  of  his  heavy 
coat  about  his  ears,  dropped  the  reins  upon 
his  horse's  neck,  and  buried  his  hands  deep  in 
his  pockets.  It  was  Tom  Allison,  the  boastful 
young  rebel  whom  Marcy  Gray,  then  the  newly 
appointed  pilot  of  Captain  Beardsley's  priva- 
teer schooner,  had  once  rebuked  and  silenced 
in  the  presence  of  a  room  full  of  secession  sym- 
pathizers. 

Allison  was  on  his  way  to  the  post-oflBce 
after  the  mail,  and  to  listen  to  any  little  items 
of  news  which  the  idlers  he  was  sure  to  find 
there  miglit  have  picked  up  since  he  last  saw 
them  ;  and,  as  he  rode,  he  thought  about  some 
things  that  puzzled  him.  He  went  over  the 
events  that  had  taken  place  along  the  coast 
during  the  last  few  months,  beginning  with 
the  bombardment  and  capture  of   forts   Hat- 


10  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

teras  and  Clark,  and  ending  with  the  Confeder- 
ate occupation  of  Roanoke  Island,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  confess  to  himself  that  things  did 
not  look  as  bright  for  the  South  now,  as  they 
did  after  that  glorious  victory  at  Bull  Run. 
Finally,  he  thought  of  the  incidents  that  had 
lately  happened  in  his  own  neighborhood,  and 
in  which  some  of  his  acquaintances  and  friends 
were  personally  interested.  In  fact  he  was 
deeply  interested  in  them  himself,  and  would 
have  given  any  article  of  value  he  owned  for 
the  privilege  of  holding  five  minutes'  conver- 
sation with  some  one  who  could  tell  him  what 
had  become  of  Jack  Gray  and  Hanson. 

"  lean  tell  you  in  few  words  what  I  think 
about  it,"  said  Tom  to  himself.  "There's 
more  behind  the  disappearance  of  those  two 
fellows  than  the  men  folks  around  here  are 
willing  to  acknowledge.  That's  what  /think. 
I  notice  that  Shelby,  Dillon,  and  the  post- 
master don't  talk  quite  as  much  nor  as  loudly 
as  they  did  before  Hanson  and  Gray  left  so 
suddenlj^  and  when  I  ask  father  Avhat  he 
thinks  of  it,  he  shakes  his  head  and  looks 
troubled  ;  and  that's  all  I  can  get  out  of  him. 


WHAT   BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME.  11 

They  are  frightened,  the  whole  gang  of  tliem  ; 
and  to  my  mind  we  would  all  be  safer  if  that 
Gray  family  was  burned  out  and  driven  from 
the  country.  They  know  everything  that  is 
said  about  them,  and  it  beats  me  where  they 
get  the  news.  The  settlement  is  full  of 
traitors,  and  probably  I  meet  and  sj^eak  to 
some  of   them   every   day." 

While  Allison  was  talking  to  himself  in  this 
strain  his  nag  brought  him  to  a  cross-road,  and 
almost  to  the  side  of  another  horseman  who, 
like  himself,  was  riding  in  the  direction  of 
Nashville.  The  two  pulled  their  collars  down 
from  their  faces,  raised  their  hats,  and  looked 
at  each  other  ;  and  then  Allison  was  surprised 
to  find  that  he  was  in  the  company  of  Lon 
Beardsley,  the  privateersman  and  blockade 
runner.  There  had  been  a  time  when  he  would 
not  have  noticed  the  man  any  further  than  to 
give  him  a  slight  nod  or  a  civil  word  or  two, 
for  he  was  the  son  of  a  wealthy  planter,  and 
thought  himself  better  than  one  who  had 
often  been  seen  working  in  the  field  with 
his  negroes.  There  used  to  be  a  wide  gulf 
between    such    people    in    the    South.      For 


12  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEP:. 

example,  N.  B.  Forrest  was  not  recognized 
socially  while  he  was  a  civilian  and  made  the 
most  of  his  money  by  buying  and  selling  men 
and  women  whose  skins  Avere  darker  than 
his  own,  but  Oeneral  Forrest,  the  man  who 
massacred  Union  soldiers  at  Fort  Pillow  and 
took  their  commander,  Major  Bradford,  into 
the  woods  and  shot  him  after  he  had  surren- 
dered himself  a  prisoner  of  war,  was  held  in 
high  esteem.  To  Allison's  mind,  Captain 
Beardsley,  who  had  smelled  Yankee  powder 
and  run  tw^o  cargoes  of  contraband  goods 
safely  through  the  blockade,  was  more  wor- 
thy of  respect  than  Lon  Beardsley  the  smug- 
gler, and  he  was  willing  to  gain  his  good-will 
now  if  he  could,  for  he  believed  the  captain 
had  it  in  his  power  to  punish  Marcy  Gray — 
the  boy  who  had  dared  to  taunt  Allison  with 
being  a  coward  because  he  did  not  shoulder  a 
musket  and  go  into  the  army. 

"Why,  captain,  I  thought  you  were  miles 
away  and  making  money  hand  over  fist  by  run- 
ning the  blockade,"  said  Allison,  with  an  awk- 
ward flourish  which  was  intended  for  a  military 
salute.     "I  hope  when  you  go  out  again  you 


WHAT   BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME.  13 

will  be  sure  and  take  that  so-called  pilot  of 
yours  with  you,  for  we  don't  want  him  hang- 
ing about  here  any  longer.  I  don't  believe 
his  arm  is  so  very  badly  hurt,  and  neither 
does  anybody  else.  I  am  glad  to  see  you  back 
safe  and  sound.     When  did  you  get  in  ?  " 

"In  where?"  said  Beardsley  gruffly;  and 
then  the  boy  saw  that  he  was  in  bad  humor 
about  something. 

"Into  Newbern,  of  course.  And  when  and 
how  did  you  come  up  here  ?  " 

"  I  came  up  last  night  in  the  Hattie.'''' 

"You  did?  You  don't  mean  to  say  that 
your  schooner  is  in  the  creek,  do  you?"  ex- 
claimed Allison,  who  was  surprised  to  hear  it. 
"You  did  not  do  a  very  bright  thing  when 
you  brought  her  there,  for  the  first  thing  you 
know  the  Yankees  will  send  some  of  their  gun- 
boats up  to  the  island,  and  then  you  will  be 
blocked  in.  I  should  think  you  would  have 
stayed  at  Newbern,  wdiere  you  could  run  out 
and  in  as  often  as  you  felt  like  it." 

"Don't  you  reckon  I  know  my  own  affairs 
better'n  you  do?"  snajDped  Beardsley.  "I 
didn't  quit  a  money-making  business  of  my 


14  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

own  free  will  and  come  liome  because  I 
wanted  to,  but  because  I  couldn't  help  my- 
self." 

"I  don't  understand  you,"  answered  Tom, 
who  was  all  in  the  dark.  "Our  authorities 
didn't  send  you  home,  of  course,  and  the 
Yankees  couldn't.  If  your  schooner  is  in 
good  shape " 

"The  Hattle  is  all  right,"  said  Beardsley, 
with  a  ring  of  pride  in  his  tones.  "  She  has 
been  in  some  tight  places,  I  can  tell  you,  and 
if  she  hadn't  showed  herself  to  be  just  the 
sweetest,  fastest  thing  of  her  inches  that  ever 
floated,  I  wouldn't  be  here  talking  to  you 
now.  And  the  Yankees  did  send  me  home 
too  ;  or  their  friends  did,  which  amounts  to 
the  same  thing.  What's  become  of  Mrs. 
Gray's  overseer,   Hanson?" 

"I  can't  make  out  what  you  mean,  when 
you  say  that  the  Yankees  or  their  friends  sent 
you  home,"  replied  Allison.  "We  haven't 
heard  of  their  making  many  captures  along  the 
coast  lately." 

"I  dunno  as  it  makes  any  sort  of  odds  to  me 
what  you  didn't  hear.     I  know  what  I  am  talk- 


WHAT   BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME,  15 

ing  about.  What's  happened  to  Hanson,  Task 
you?" 

"  How  do  you  suppose  I  can  tell  ?  And  if 
you  only  came  home  last  niglit,  how  does  it 
come  that  you  know  anything  has  happened  to 
him?"  inquired  Tom,  who  thought  he  saw  a 
chance  to  learn  something.  "I  haven't  seen 
that  man  Hanson  for  a  long  time." 

"Nor  me;  but  I  know  well  enough  that 
there's  something  went  wrong  with  him,"  said 
Beardsley  very  decidedlj^  "I  know  that  he 
was  took  out  of  his  house  at  dead  of  night  by 
a  gang  of  men,  that  he  was  carried  away,  and 
that  nobody  ain't  likely  to  see  hide  nor  hair 
of  him  any  more." 

"  That  news  is  old,  and  I  don't  see  why  you 
should  assume  so  mysterious  an  air  in  speak- 
ing of  it,"  said  Tom.  "Your  daughter  has 
had  time  enough  to  tell  you  all  about  it  since 
you  came  home." 

"But  I  heard  about  it  before  I  left  New- 
bern." 

"  You  did  !     Who  told  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  heard  all  about  it." 

"What  if  you  did?    I  don't  see  how  Han- 


16  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

son's  disnppearance  could  interfere  with  your 
blockade-running. ' ' 

"Mebbe  you  don't,  but  I  do.  If  you  had 
been  in  my  place,  and  somebody  had  sent  you 
a  letter  saying  that  if  you  didn't  quit  business 
and  come  home  at  once,  some  of  your  build- 
ings would  be  burned  up,  what  would  you 
think  then  ?  Do  you  reckon  it  would  bust  up 
your  blockade  running  or  not?" 

"Do  you  i)retend  to  tell  me  that  you  re- 
ceived such  a  letter?"  cried  Allison,  who 
could  scarcely  believe  his  ears. 

"  That  is  just  what  I  pretend  to  tell  you — no  ' 
less,"    answered     the    captain,     tapping    the 
breast  of  his  coat  as  if  to  say  that  he  could 
prove  his  words  if  necessary. 

"  Why — why,  who  could  have  sent  it  to 
you?    Who  do  you  think  wrote  it?" 

"  You  tell.  I  'don't  know  the  first  thing 
about  it ;  I  wish  I  did.  I  am  here  now, 
and  if  I  could  only  put  my  finger  on  the 
chaj)  who  caused  me  all  this  bother,  I'd  fix 
him." 

"Would  you  bushwhack  him?"  inquired 
Allison,  wondering  if  there  was  any  way  in 


WHAT   BROUGHT   BEA.RDSLEY   HOME.  17 

which  he  could  prevail  upon  Beardsley  to  show 
him  that  letter. 

"  No  ;  but  I  would  put  the  authorities  on  to 
him  tolerable  sudden  and  have  him  forced  into 
the  army.  Because  why,  I  am  scart  of  that 
chap  myself.  He's  hanging  around  here  now, 
waiting  for  a  good  chance  to  do  some  more 
meanness." 

"  You  don't  say  !  "  exclaimed  Tom,  growing 
frightened.  "  He  ought  to  be  got  rid  of.  But 
who  is  he  ?  Is  there  any  one  about  here  that 
you  know  of  who  has  reason  to  be  down  on 
you?    Any  one  besides  the  Grays,  I  mean  ? " 

Beardsley  dropped  his  reins,  pulled  the 
collar  of  his  coat  down  from  his  face  with 
both  hands,  and  looked  hard  at  his  com- 
panion. 

"Why,  of  course  the  Grays  are  down  on 
you  heavy,  and  all  your  friends  and  mine 
know  it,"  continued  Tom.  "  You  know  it, 
don't   you?" 

"There,  now!"  exclaimed  the  captain,  re- 
arranging his  collar  and  picking  up  his  reins 
again.     "  I  never  once  thought  of  blaming  it 

on   that  there  Marcy." 
2 


18  MARCY,    THE   PwEFUGEE. 

"I  don't  blame  it  on  liim,  and  I  don't  want 
yon  to  tliink  so  for  a  moment,"  said  Tom,  who 
had  not  yet  arrived  at  the  point  of  being  con- 
fidential with  Beardsley.  "I  never  hinted 
that  Marcy  wrote  the  letter ;  but  just  look  at 
the  way  the  thing  stands.  A  man  who  knows 
as  much  about  this  coast  as  you  do  never 
wanted  a  pilot,  but  you  did  want  to  marry 
Mrs.  Gray's  plantation  ;  and  when  she  gave 
you  to  understand  that  she  wouldn't  have  it 
so " 

"See  here,  young  feller,  you're  going  too 
fur,"  cried  the  captain,  pulling  his  collar 
down  with  one  hand  and  shaking  his  whip 
threateningly  at  Allison  with  the  other. 
"  You  don't  know  what  you're  talking  about, 
and  I  won't  hear  another  word  of  it." 

"  What's  the  use  of  getting  mad  because 
somebody  tells  you  the  truth?"  demanded 
Tom.  "Every  one  says  so,  and  Avliat  every 
one  holds  to  can't  be  so  very  far  wrong.  You 
know  you  don't  need  a  pilot,  and  I  know  it 
too.  You  have  nothing  against  Marcy  Gray 
person  all  y ' ' 

"I  ain't,  hey?"  shouted  the  angry  captain. 


WHAT   BROUGHT   BEARDSLEY   HOME.  19 

"He's  just  the  biggest  kind  of  a  traitor  that 
ever ' ' 

"  That  isn't  what  I  am  trying  to  get  at,  and 
you  know  it,"  interrupted  Tom.  "You  want 
to  hurt  him  and  his  mother  by  taking  him  to 
sea  against  his  will  and  hers.  Now  if  you 
were  in  Marcy's  place,  and  knew  all  these 
things,  as  he  most  likely  does,  and  you  saw  a 
good  chance  to  get  even  with  the  man  who  was 
persecuting  you,  would  you  let  that  chance 
slip  ?     I  reckon  not." 

"  But  if  it's  Marcy  Avho  has  been  a-pestering 
of  me,  how  can  I  prove  it  on  hinf? "  inquired 
Beardsley,  who  was  as  angry  as  Allison  had 
ever  known  him  to  be. 

"  Let  me  see  the  letter,"  replied  Tom. 

"No,  I  reckon  not.  What  do  you  want  to 
see  it  fur?" 

"  I  can  tell  you  whether  or  not  Marcy  Gray 
wrote  it,  for  I  know  his  hand  as  well  as  I  know 
my  own." 

Beardsley  hesitated.  Ever  since  the  morn- 
ing he  took  the  letter  in  question  from  the 
office  in  Newbern,  he  had  been  burning  with 
anxiety  and  impatience  to  find  out  whom  he 


20  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

had  to  thank  for  sending  it  to  him,  and  he  was 
now  on  liis  way  to  call  npon  his  friends  Shelby 
and  Dillon  to  see  if  they  conld  not  put  him  on 
the  track  of  the  writer.  He  wanted  to  ask 
them  what  they  thought  of  the  whole  miser- 
able business  any  way,  and  did  not  care  to 
show  the  letter  until  he  heard  what  they  had 
to  say  about  it. 

"  I  know  the  handwriting  of  every  man  and 
boy  in  this  settlement,"  continued  Allison, 
"  and  if  I  can't  tell  you  who  wrote  it  no  one 
can  ;  not  even  the  postmaster." 

This  settled  the  matter,  to  Allison's  satisfac- 
tion. The  captain  opened  his  coat  and  drew 
out  the  letter,  which  was  Avritten  in  a  hand  that 
was  plainly  disguised,  for  the  same  characters 
were  not  formed  twice  alike.  It  was  not  very 
long,  but  it  was  to  the  point,  and  ran  as  follows: 

This  is  to  inform  you  that  you  have  spent  jes  time  enough  in 
persecuting  Union  folks  in  this  settlement  on  account  of  them 
not  beleeving  as  you  rebbels  do,  and  likewise  time  enough  in 
cheeting  the  govermcnt  by  bringing  contraband  goods  through 
the  blockade.  And  this  is  to  inform  you  that  if  you  do  not 
immediately  upon  resep  of  this  stop  your  disloyal  practices 
and  come  home  at  once,  you  will  not  find  as  many  buildings 
standing,  when  you  do  come,  as  you  have  got  standing  now  at 
this  present  time  of  writing.     And  this  is  likewise  to  inform 


WHAT   BROUGHT  BEARDSLEY   HOME.  21 

you  that  the  first  proof  that  we  mean  jes  what  we  say,  you  will 
get  in  a  letter  from  your  folks,  who  will  tell  you  that  a  letter 
something  like  this  was  found  on  the  front  gallery  of  your 
house  on  a  certain  night,  and  that  a  lot  of  dry  weeds  and  stuff 
was  likewise  found  piled  against  the  back  of  said  house.  Proof 
number  2  will  be  in  the  same  letter,  which  will  tell  you  that 
Mrs.  Gray's  overseer  has  been  toted  away  by  armed  men,  and 
that  he  won't  never  be  seen  in  this  settlement  again.  For  every 
day  you  delay  in  coming  home  immediately  after  this  letter 
has  had  time  to  reach  you  in  Newbern,  you  will  loose  a  build- 
ing of  some  kind  or  sort,  beginning  with  the  house  you  live  in. 
This  is  from  those  who  believe  in  defending  the  women  and 
children  you  rebbels  are  making  war  on,  and  so  we  sign  our- 
selves. The  Pertectors  of  the  Helpless. 

"Marcy  Gray  never  had  a  hand  in  getting 
up  this  letter,  more's  the  pity,"  thought  Tom, 
as  he  again  ran  his  eye  over  the  plainly  written 
lines  in  the  hope  of  finding  something  that 
would  give  him  an  excuse  for  saying  that 
Marcy  did  write  it.  "Look  at  the  spelling 
and  the  bungling  language!  Marcy  couldn't 
do  that  if  he  tried." 

"Well,  what  do  you  reckon  you  make  of 
it?"  demanded  the  captain. 

"It's  perfectly  scandalous — the  most  out- 
rageous thing  I  ever  heard  of  !  "  exclaimed 
Allison.  "  Just  think  of  the  impudence  this 
fellow  shows  in  ordering  you — ordering,  I 
say " 


22  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"  Oh,  there's  more'n  one  feller  mixed  up  in 
it,"  said  Beardsley,  with  a  groan. 

"Perhaps  there  is,  and  tlien  again,  perhaps 
there  isn't,"  replied  Tom.  ''Couldn't  I  write 
a  letter  and  sign  a  hundred  names  to  it,  if  I 
wanted  to  ?  I  say  it  is  a  burning  shame  that 
good  and  loyal  Confederates  should  submit  to 
be  ordered  about  in  this  way,  and  you  were 
foolish  for  paying  the  least  attention  to  it. 
You  ought  to  have  gone  on  with  your  business 
and  come  home  when  j'ou  got  ready." 

Beardsley  turned  down  the  collar  of  his  coat, 
threw  his  left  leg  over  the  horn  of  his  saddle, 
and  shook  his  wliip  at  Allison  as  if  he  w^re 
about  to  say  something  impressive. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED. 

" /^~\H,  I  mean  it,"  said  Tom,  and  one  would 
Vy  have  thought  by  the  way  he  shook  his 
head  and  frowned  and  made  his  riding- whip 
whistle  through  the  air,  that  it  would  be  use- 
less for  anybody  to  try  to  order  hiifn  around. 
"  Just  try  me  and  see  ;  that's  all." 

'"And  if  you  had  been  in  my  place  you 
wouldn't  have  come  home  till  you  got  good 
and  ready  %  "  said  Beardsley. 

"  You  bet  I  wouldn't.  I  wouldn't  be  guilty 
of  setting  such  an  example  to  the  timid  ones 
at  home.  This  is  the  time  when  every 
man " 

"  How  many  buildings  have  you  got  in  this 
part  of  the  country?"  inquired  the  captain, 
shutting  his  right  eye  and  laying  his  finger  by 
the  side  of  his  nose.  "Have  you  forgot  the 
men  who  took  Hanson  away  in  the  night,   and 


24  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

piled  up  tUose  weeds  and  stuff  up  agin  my 
house? " 

"  Well,  that's  so  ;  but  still  I  don't  think 
they  would  have  been  bold  enough  to  do  any- 
thing to  you.  You  are  a  wealthy  planter, 
while  Hanson  was  nothing  but  a  common  over- 
seer, without  a  friend  or  relative  in  the  world 
so  far  as  any  one  knows.  Did  you  receive  the 
proofs  this  letter  speaks  of  ? " 

"  You  bet  I  did,"  answered  Beardsley,  shak- 
ing his  whip  in  the  air.  "My  daughter  got 
old  Miss  Brown  to  write  to  me  just  as  them 
Pertectors  of  the  Helpless — dog-gone  the  last 
one  of  'em — said  she  would,  and  sure  as  you 
live  she  found  another  letter  on  the  gallery, 
and  a  whole  passel  of  stuff  piled  up  agin  the 
house,  ready  to  be  touched  off  with  a  match  ; 
and  the  very  same  night  Mrs.  Gray's  overseer 
was  carried  away.  When  she  told  me  all  them 
things  and  begged  me  to  come  home  I  thought 
I  had  best  come.  But  I  don't  mean  to  let  the 
matter  drop  here,  tell  your  folks.  The  fellers 
Avho  wrote  that  letter  must  be  hunted  down 
and  whopped  like  they  was  niggers.  Did 
Marcy  Gray  do  it  ?" 


ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED.  25 

"I  can't  swear  that  he  didn't,"  replied 
Tom  guardedly.  "But  if  he  did,  he  dis- 
guised his  hand  so  that  I  do  not  recognize  it. 
I  can't  find  the  first  letter  in  it  that  looks  like 
Marcy's  work." 

Beardsley  seemed  disappointed  as  he  re- 
turned the  letter  to  his  pocket  and  buttoned 
his  coat,  and  Tom  Allison  certainly  was. 
Two  or  three  times  it  was  on  the  end  of  his 
tongue  to  declare  that  Marcy  was  the  guilty 
one,  but  he  lacked  the  courage.  He  was 
afraid  of  the  mysterious  men  who  had  begun 
to  carry  things  with  so  high  a  hand  in  the 
settlement,  for  he  did  not  know  how  soon 
they  might  turn  their  attention  to  him  or  to 
his  father's  proi)erty. 

"Marcy  is  quite  mean  enough  to  do  a  thing 
of  that  kind,  hoping  to  bring  you  home  so 
that  you  would  not  take  him  to  sea  any 
more,"  said  Tom,  who  could  not  resist  the 
longing  he  had  to  say  something  that  would 
lead  Beardsley  to  declare  Avar  upon  the  boy  who 
had  served  as  his  pilot.  "  He  may  have  writ- 
ten the  letter,  but  he  could  not  have  piled 
that  light  stuff  against  your  house,  for  he  was 


26  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

not  at  home  when  the  thing  happened.  Has 
it  struck  you  that  the  work  must  have  been 
done  by  some  one  who  belongs  on  your  plan- 
tation ?  Your  dogs  would  have  raised  a  ter- 
rible racket  if  a  stranger " 

"No,  it  wasn't,"  said  Beardsley  earnestly. 
"The  dogs  made  furse  enough  that  night  to 
wake  up  everybody  in  Nashville ;  but  they 
didn't  none  of  'em  do  nothing,  and  that  shows 
that  they  were  afraid  of  the  crowd  that  was 
there.  My  folks  was  that  scared  that  they 
dassent  none  of 'em  look  out  of  the  winder; 
but  the  next  morning  the  letter  that  was  put 
on  the  gallery  and  the  stuff  to  burn  the  house 
was  both  there." 

"  It's  very  strange  that  I  never  heard  of  it 
before,"  said  Tom,  who  could  not  help  telling 
himself  that  the  recital  made  him  feel  very 
uncomfortable.  "It's  just  awful  that  things 
like  these  can  go  on  in  the  settlement  and  no- 
body be  punished  for  them." 

"Well,  it  ain't  so  strange  that  j^ou  didn't 
hear  of  it,  when  you  bear  in  mind  that  my 
folks  didn't  say  much  about  it  for  fear  that 
they  might  speak  to  the  wrong  person,"  said 


ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED.  27 

Beardsley.  "I  reckon  it  was  done  by  the 
same  fellers  who  took  Hanson  away  to  the 
swamp.  Ain't  nary  idee  who  they  were,  have 
you?" 

"Nary  an  idea.  I  wish  I  had,  so  that  I 
could  expose  them.  Why,  just  think  of  it, 
captain  !  If  things  like  these  are  allowed  to 
go  on,  who  is  safe  ?  How  do  we  know  but  you 
or  I  may  be  marched  off  in  the  same  way  some 
dark  night?" 

^' I  don't  know  it,  and  that's  just  what's  a- 
iroubling  of  me,"  said  Beardsley,  groaning 
again  and  rubbing  his  gloved  hands  nervously 
together.  "  Such  doings  is  too  shameful  to  be 
bore  any  longer.  There's  a  heap  of  traitors 
right  here  amongst  us,  and  I  don't  see  how  we 
are  going  to  get  shet  of  'em." 

"  That's  the  thought  that  was  running  in  my 
mind  when  I  met  you,"  said' Tom  savagely. 
"I  know  who  some  of  the  traitors  are,  but 
the  truth  is,  they  are  so  cunning  you  can't 
prove  the  first  thing  against  them.  There's 
that  Marcy  Gray  for  one." 

"Say!"  whispered  Beardsley,  reining  his 
horse  a  little  closer  to  Tom's  and  tapping  the 


28  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

boy's  slioulder  with  liis  riding-whip,  "yon 
have  hit  the  very  identical  idee  I  have  had  in 
my  mind  for  a  long  time.  If  Marcy  ain't  a 
traitor,  what's  him  and  his  mother  keeping 
that  money  of  theirn  stowed  away  so  quiet 
for?" 

"Say!"  whispered  Allison  in  his  turn,  at 
the  same  time  laying  the  handle  of  his  own 
whip  lightly  upon  the  captain's  knee,  "that 
is  something  I  have  thought  about  more  times 
than  I  can  remember.  If  they  haven't  got 
money,  and  plenty  of  it,  hidden  somewhere,  I 
am  mistaken.  You  know  that  before  Marcy 
came  home  from  school  his  mother  made  a 
good  many  trips  to  Richmond,  Newbern,  and 
Wilmington  ;  and  everybody  says  those  trips 
were  not  made  solely  for  the  purpose  of  buy- 
ing supplies  for  the  plantation." 

"  I  know  it,"  assented  Beardsley. 

"  When  Mrs.  Gray  came  home  she  made  a 
big  show  of  parading  all  her  niggers  in  bran' 
new  suits  of  clothes,"  continued  Allison. 
"But  she  did  not  have  to  go  to  three  cities  to 
buy  the  cloth  those  clothes  Avere  made  of,  did 
she?     She's  got  money,  and  I  am  sure  of  it." 


ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED.  29 

"I  know  it,"  said  Beardsley  again.  "I 
tried  my  best  to  make  Marcy  say  so,  but  he 
was  too  sharp  for  me.  You  see  his  share  of 
the  prize-money  the  Hollins  sokl  for  amounted 
to  seventeen  hunderd  dollars." 

"Great  Moses!  "  ejaculated  Tom.  "What 
a  plum  for  that  traitor  to  j)ut  into  his  pocket ! 
I  wish  I  had  it.  But  he  told  me  he  was  to  get 
eight  hundred  and  fifty  dollars." 

"  P'raps  he  did,  for  that  was  what  the  fore- 
mast hands  got ;  but  I  promised  to  give  Marcy 
more  for  acting  as  pilot  and  I  done  it,  consarn 
my  fule  pictur'!  I  wanted  to  get  on  the  blind 
side  of  him,  so't  he  would  sorter  confide  in  me 
for  a  friend,  don' t  you  see  ?  But  I  didn' t  make 
it.  That  boy  might  have  cleared  five  thousand 
dollars  if  he  had  took  out  a  venture  the  first 
time  we  run  the  blockade,  but  he  wouldn't  do 
it  for  fear  he  might  lose  the  money.  He  said 
lie  might  want  to  use  tUem  seventeen  hunderd 
before  the  war  was  over." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  exclaimed  Tom. 

"That's  what  I  thought,"  replied  Beards- 
ley. 

"Seventeen  hundred  dollars  are  not  a  drop 


30  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

in  the  bucket  to  the  sum  lie  and  his  mother 
have  on  hand  at  this  moment,  and  I'll  bet  on 
it,"  added  Tom.  "They've  got  thousands, 
and  I  wish  I  could  have  the  handling  of  some 
of  it." 

That  was  what  Captain  Beardsley  wished  ; 
but  the  trouble  was  he  did  not  know  where  the 
money  was  concealed,  or  just  how  to  go  to 
work  to  get  hold  of  it.  He  had  a  partly 
formed  plan  in  his  head,  but  he  did  not  think 
that  it  would  be  quite  safe  to  let  Tom  into  the 
secret  of  it.  At  any  rate,  he  would  tell  all  his 
news  first,  and  think  about  that  afterward. 

"  That  boy  Marcy  is  a  plum  dunce  to  act  the 
way  he  is  doing  now,"  said  the  captain,  after  a 
little  pause.  "If  he  Avould  go  into  onr  navy, 
and  this  war  should  happen  to  last  a  year  or  so 
longer,  he  would  make  a  big  oflBcer  of  him- 
self." 

"It  w^on't  last  six  months  longer,"  said 
Allison  confidently.  "The  Yankees  can't 
stand  more  than  one  Bull  Run  drubbing.  But 
tell  me  honestly,  captain :  Did  Gray  really 
show  pluck  on  the  night  he  got  that  broken 
arm  1 " 


ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED.  31 

"He  did  for  a  fact,"  replied  Beardsley. 
"  He  stood  up  to  the  rack  like  a  man,  and  took 
the  schooner  through  the  inlet  with  that  arm 
hanging  by  his  side  as  limp  as  a  dish-rag.  I'm 
free  to  say  it,  though  I  ain't  no  friend  of 
his'n." 

"I  am  sorry  you  said  it  in  the  letters  you 
wrote  home  to  Shelby  and  Dillon.  I  wish  that 
splinter,  or  whatever  it  was,  had  hit  his  head 
instead  of  his  arm,  for  he  carries  himself  alto- 
gether too  stiff-legged  on  the  strength  of  it. 
If  he  had  whipped  the  whole  Yankee  fleet  he 
could  not  throw  on  more  airs.  But  why  do 
you  say  he  could  win  promotion  by  enlisting 
in  our  navy  \  Do  you  think  he  would  go 
among  the   Federals   if  he  wasn't  afraid?" 

"That's  where  he  would  go  if  it  wasn't  for 
his  mother.  It's  where  his  brother  Jack  is  at 
this  minute." 

"Captain,"  said  Tom  impressively,  "you 
and  I  ought  to  be  the  very  best  of  friends,  for 
we  think  alike  on  a  good  many  points.  Some- 
body, I  don't  know  who  it  was,  gave  it  out 
through  the  settlement  that  Jack  Gray  went  to 
Newbern  to  ship  on  a  Confederate  iron-clad  ; 


32  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

but  I  didn't  believe  it,  and  I  don't  think  so 
now.  If  he  and  Marcy  wanted  to  go  to  New- 
bern  they  would  have  gone  by  rail,  wouldn't 
they?  Instead  of  that  they  went  in  Marcy' s 
schooner." 

"I  don't  care  what  anybody  has  give  out 
or  what  anybody  thinks,"  said  Beardsley 
doggedly.  "I  know  what  I  know,  and  believe 
what  I  have  seen  with  my  own  two  eyes,  don't 
I?  While  I  was  standing  into  Crooked  Inlet 
on  my  way — say  !  I  don't  know  as  I  had  best 
tell  you  what  I  seen  with  my  own  two  eyes." 

*' Why  not?"  demanded  Allison,  who  was 
sure  he  was  about  to  hear  some  exciting  news. 
"  You  have  already  told  me  more-  than  you 
had  any  business  to  tell,  if  you  don't  think 
I  can  keep  a  secret." 

"Well,  that  there  is  a  fact.  Look  a-here. 
I  aint  said  a  word  to  nobody  about  tliis,  and 
you  mustn't  let  on  tliat  I  told  you  ;  but  while 
I  was  running  into  Crooked  Inlet  on  my  way 
home  from  the  last  trip  I  made  to  Nassau,  I 
didn't  see  the  steam  launch  that  I  was  afraid 
might  be  Avaiting  there  for  me,  but  I  did  see 
Marcy  Gray's  schooner." 


ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED.  33 

"Isn't  that  what  I  said?"  exclaimed  Tom 
gleefully.  ' '  What  was  Marcy  Gray' s  schooner 
doing  outside,  and  in  the  night-time,  too?" 

"Hold  on  till  I  tell  you  how  it  was,"  re- 
plied the  captain.  "The  first  thing  I  see  was 
that  the  schooner  had  been  disguised,  but  that 
didn't  by  no  means  fool  your  uncle  Lon. 
Them  two  boys,  Marcy  and  Jack,  had  towed 
her  through  the  inlet  with  their  skiff  and  were 
just  about  to  get  aboard  again  and  make  sail, 
when  I  run  on  to  'em  in  the  dark.  I  was  that 
scared  to  see 'em  that  I  couldn't  move  from  my 
tracks,  for  a  minute  or  two.  I  thought  the 
Yankees   had  me  sure." 

"It  almost  takes  my  breath  to  have  my  sus- 
picions confirmed  in  this  way,"  said  Tom. 
"Did  you  watch  them  to  see  where  they 
went  ? " 

"Listen  at  the  fule  ! ''  exclaimed  the  cap- 
tain, in  a  tone  of  disgust.  "Not  much,  I 
didn't  watch  them  boys.  I  had  enough  to  do 
to  mind  my  own  business  ;  and  knowing  what 
brung  them  outside  at  that  time  of  night, 
didn't   I  know   where    they  had   started  for 

without  watching 'em?     They  didn't  go  nigh 
8 


34  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

IS'ewbern.  They  went  straight  out  to  the 
Yankee  fleet,  and  there's  where  Jack  Gray  is, 
while  me  and  you  are  riding  along  this  road." 

"Captain,  I  wouldn't  have  missed  seeing 
you  this  morning  for  a  bushel  of  money,"  de- 
clared Tom,  whose  first  impulse  was  to  whip 
up  his  horse  and  carry  the  joyful  news  to 
Nashville.  "I've  got  a  hold  on  Marcy  Gray 
now  that  I  shan't  be  slow  to  use." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  asked 
Beardsley  anxiously. 

"I'll  let  him  know  who  he  called  a  coward 
before  a  whole  post-office  full  of  people,"  .said 
Allison  savagely.  "  He  will  take  that  word 
back  on  his  knees  and  do  his  best  to  make  a 
friend  of  me,  or  I'll " 

"There,  now!"  cried  Beardsley;  and  the 
tone  in  which  he  uttered  the  words  was  quite 
as  savage  as  Tom's.  "I  knew  well  enough 
that  I  had  no  call  to  tell  you  all  them  things 
without  first  speaking  to  Shelby  and  Dillon 
about  them." 

"Of  course  I  shall  consult  you,  before  doing 
or  saying  anything  to  Marcy,"  replied  Tom, 
wishing  he  had  net  been  so  quick  to  speak  the 


ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED.  35 

thoughts  that  were  in  his  mind.  "I  don't 
want  yon  to  think  that  I  am  going  to  take 
these  matters  out  of  your  hands,  for  I  don't 
mean  to  do  anything  of  the  sort." 

"  You  had  better  not.  You  are  nothing  but 
a  boy,  and  you  would  be  sure  to  make  a  mess 
of  the  whole  thing  if  you  tried  it.  Me  and 
Shelby  will  deal  with  Marcy  and  his  mother." 

"I  shall  be  satisfied,  so  long  as  yon  do  some- 
thing to  him  that  he  can  feel.  All  I  ask  is  to 
be  around  when  it  is  done,  so  that  I  can  see  it. 
But  you  will  have  to  be  careful,  captain. 
There  are  some  about  here  who  believe  that 
the  Grays  are  the  best  kind  of  Confederates." 

"What  makes  them  believe  that  when  me 
and  you  know  it  aint  so  ?  " 

"It's  the  way  they  worked  things;  and  it 
Avas  about  the  slickest  scheme  lever  heard  of," 
replied  Allison.  "Why,  captain,  they  ran 
down  the  river  past  Plymouth  and  Roanoke, 
with  our  flag  flying  from  the  Fairy  Belle's 
masthead." 

"  Of  all  the  imperdence  !  Where  did  they 
get  a  flag  of  our'n?" 

"No  one  knows,  unless  Jack  got  it  olf  the 


36  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

smuggler  West  Wind,  that  he  piloted  into 
Newbern*  Anyhow  he  got  it,  and  kept  it 
hung  upon  the  wall  of  his  mother's  house  in 
X^lain  sight  of  all  who  went  there." 

"  It  -was  nothing  but  a  cheat  and  a  swindle,  I 
tell  you,"  shouted  the  captain.  "Both  them 
boys  is  Union,  and  their  mother  is  too.  I'll 
fix  'em  ! " 

"  I  say  again  that  you  had  better  be  careful,'* 
cautioned  Tom.  "If  it  turns  out  that  they  are 
in  favor  of  the  South,  you  will  burn  your 
fingers  if  you  touch  them  ;  and  if  they  are 
Union,  they  have  friends  to  Avatch  over  and  see 
that  no  harm  comes  to  them.  Have  you  for- 
gotten the  men  who  carried  Hanson  away  in 
the  night?" 

"  No,  I  ain't  ;  and  that's  what  makes  me  so 
mad.      We-uns  about  here  can't  do  nothing 

with  that  money Say  !  mebbe  I  could  tell 

you  something  else  if  you'll  promise  never  to 
let  on  about  it." 

"All  right.  I  never  will,"  answered  Alli- 
son, who  was  becoming  impatient  to  hear  all 
the  man  had  on  his  mind.  Nashville  was  in 
plain  sight  now,  and  of  course  there  could  be 


ALLISON   IS   SURPRISED.  37 

no  more  talking  of  this  sort  done  after  they 
got  there.  "Hold  up  a  bit.  Don't  let  your 
horse   walk   so   fast." 

"  What  I  thought  of  saying  to  you  is  this," 
said  Beardsley,  once  more  sinking  his  voice  to 
a  whisper,  "  VVe-uns  who  live  about  here 
can't  do  nothing  by  ourselves,  but  we  can 
hint — just  hint,  I  say — to  some  outsiders  that 
there's  a  pile  of  money  in  that  there  house  of 
Mrs.  Gray's  that's  to  be  had  for  the  taking." 

"Go  on,"  said  Tom,  when  Beardsley 
stopped  and  looked  at  him.  "I  am  listen- 
ing,  but  I  don't  catch  your  meaning." 

"I  could  easy  find  half  a  dozen  fellers  right 
around  here  who  would  be  up  and  doing 
mighty  sudden  if  I  should  say  that  much  in 
their  private  ears,"  continued  the  captain. 
"But  mebbe  that  plan  wouldn't  work.  I 
can't  tell  till  I  hear  what  Shelby  thinks  about 
it.  But  if  it  don't  work,  we  might  put  the 
Richmond  officers  onto  them." 

"What  good  would  that  do?  If  there  is 
money  in  Mrs.  Gray's  house  the  Richmond 
authorities  have  no  right  to  touch  it." 

"  Aint  they,  now!"    chuckled   Beardsley. 


38  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"Don't  tlie  law  say  that  we-uns  mustn't 
pay  no  debts  to  the  Yankees,  but  must 
turn  the  money  over  to  the  fellers  at  Rich- 
mond ?  " 

"But  I  am  afraid  Mrs.  Gray  doesn't  owe 
any  money  to  the  Yankees." 

"What's  the  odds  whether  you  think  so  or 
not  ?  "  said  the  captain  earnestly.  "  We  can 
hint  that  she  does,  can't  we  ?  And  can't  we 
hint  furder,  that  instead  of  turning  that 
money  over,  like  the  law  says  she  must  do, 
she  is  keeping  it  hid  for  her  own  use!" 

"Then  why  not  make  a  sure  thing  of  it  by 
putting  the  government  officers  on  the  scent 
the  first  thing?" 

"Because  they  won't  divide,  the  officers 
won't.  Don't  you  see?  The  other  fellers 
will." 

Tom  Allison  was  astonished  now,  and  no 
mistake.  For  a  minute  or  two  he  looked 
hard  at  Beardsley,  but  he  couldn't  si)eak. 

"What  do  you  stare  at  me  that-a-way  for  ?  " 
demanded  the  captain.  "I  don't  see  nothing 
so  very  amazing  in  what  I  said.  Didn't  you 
tell  me  a  minute  ago  that  you  would  like 


ALLISON   IS   SURPEISED.  39 

mighty  well  to  have  the  handling  of  some  of 
that  there  money  ?  " 

"Of  course  I  did,  and  I  say  so  yet ;  but  I 
wouldn't  dare  touch  it  if  it  was  got  in  that 
way.  Don't  misunderstand  me  now,"  said 
Allison,  when  he  saw  Beardsley  gather  up  his 
reins  and  change  his  riding-whip  to  his  right 
liand  as  if  he  were  about  to  go  on  and  leave 
Tom  behind.  "  If  you  think  it  would  be  quite 
safe " 

"What  other  way  is  there  to  get  it?" 
snarled  Beardsley.  "I  wasn't  joking.  These 
here  aint  no  times  for  joking,  and  I  meant 
every  word  I  said.  Why  aint  it  safe  ?  The 
folks  in  the  settlement  are  mostly  our  friends, 
and  even  if  they  knew  that  some  of  the  money 
went  into  our  pockets,  they  wouldn't  say  noth- 
ing about  it." 

"They  would  know  it,  and  my  father  would 
say  something  to  me,  I  bet  you.  But  mind 
you,"  said  Tom,  as  the  two  turned  their 
horses  toward  the  hitching-rack  that  stood 
across  the  street  from  the  post-office,  "if  you 
and  your  friends  think  it  can  be  done,  I  say  go 
ahead   and   good    luck  to  you.     And  if  you 


40  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

make  a  success  of  it,  as  I  liope  you  will,  no 
one  will  hear  from  me  that  I  knew  a  thing 
about  it." 

"And  you  >;von't  let  on  about  the  other 
things  I  have  told  you  ?"  said  the  captain,  as 
he  dismounted  and  spread  a  blanket  over  his 
horse.  "  I  don' t  reckon  I  had  oughter  said  so 
much.     Mebbe  Shelby  won't  like  it." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  what  he  says  after  you 
have  had  a  talk  with  him  ?  Then  you  may  de- 
pend upon  me  to  keep  a  still  tongue  in  my 
head.  As  for  Shelby,  I  don' t  care  whether  he 
likes  it  or  not.  It  is  none  of  his  business.  I 
know,  and  have  known  for  a  long  time,  that 
he  and  his  ring  have  some  things  in  hand  that 
they  won't  let  me  hear  of,  and  I  am  as  warm  a 
friend  to  the  South  as  they  dare  be,  and  just 
as  ready  to  help  her." 

"  But  you  see  you're  a  boy  ;  and  some  men 
don't  like  to  take  boys  into  their  secrets,"  re- 
plied Beardsley. 

"  I  know  I  am  a  boy,  but  all  the  same  I  am 
a  wild  horse  in  the  cane  and  hard  to  curry.  If 
Shelby  and  his  gang  don't  pay  a  little  more 
attention  to  me  I  will  make  them  wish  they 


ALLISON"   IS   SURPRISED.  41 

had  ;  and  if  Beardsley  don't  keep  me  posted 
in  liis  plans,  I'll  knock  them  into  the  middle 
of  next  week.  I'll  find  means  to  get  Hanson's 
abductors  after  him.  By  George  !  That's  an 
idea,  and  I'll  think  it  over  as  I  ride  home." 

So  saying  Tom  Allison  hitched  his  horse  to 
one  of  the  pins  in  the  rack  and  followed 
Beardsley  across  the  street  toward  the  post- 
office. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.       . 

THE  streets  of  Nashville  were  almost  de- 
serted, for  the  cold  wind,  aided  by  the 
driving  rain  that  was  falling  steadily,  had 
forced  all  the  idlers  to  seek  comfort  within 
doors.  The  post-office  was  full  of  them,  and 
when  the  captain  walked  in  with  Allison  at 
his  heels  they  greeted  him  boisterously,  and 
asked  more  questions  in  a  minute  than  he 
could  answer  in  ten.  First  and  foremost  they 
wanted  to  know  why  Beardsley  had  come 
home  so  unexpectedly,  but  that  was  a  matter 
he  did  not  care  to  say  much  about.  All  they 
could  get  from  him  was  that  he  had  some  im- 
portant business  to  attend  to. 

"But  of  course  you  are  going  back  again," 
said  one.  "  I  would  if  I  had  such  a  chance  to 
make  money  as  you  have  got.  But  perhaps 
you  are  rich  enough  already." 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  43 

"Well,  no;  I  don't  reckon  I'll  run  the 
blockade  any  more,"  replied  the  captain. 
"  My  schooner  is  safe  and  sound  now  and  I 
want  to  keep  her  that  Avay.  The  Yankees  are 
getting  tolerable  thick  outside,  and  I  don't 
care  to  have  them  run  me  down  some  dark 
night  and  slap  me  into  one  of  their  prisons." 

There  were  at  least  a  dozen  persons  in  the 
post-office,  besides  Tom  Allison,  who  knew 
that  Beardsley  had  other  and  better  reasons 
for  quitting  the  profitable  business  in  which 
he  had  been  engaged,  and  three  of  them  were 
Shelby,  Dillon,  and  the  postmaster.  These 
men  knew  by  the  captain's  manner,  as  well  as 
by  the  way  he  looked  at  them  now  and  then, 
that  he  had  something  of  importance  on  his 
mind,  and  they  left  the  store  one  after  another, 
expecting  Beardsley  to  follow  and  join  them 
as  soon  as  he  could  do  so  without  arousing 
suspicion.  A  fourth  man  was  Aleck  Webster, 
who  leaned  carelessly  against  one  of  the  coun- 
ters and  listened  to  what  the  captain  had  to 
say,  although  he  did  not  seem  to  pay  much 
attention  to  it.  If  Aleck  had  been  so  disposed 
he  could  have  told  Beardsley  who  wrote  the 


44  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

letter  tEat  broke  up  liis  blockade  running  and 
brought  him  home  so  suddenly,  and  so  could 
several  other  Union  men  who  were  in  the  office 
on  this  particular  morning.  They  went  there 
every  day  to  hear  their  doings  discussed  ;  and 
it  gave  them  no  little  satisfaction  to  learn  that 
they  had  aroused  a  feeling  of  uneasiness  and  in- 
security among  the  citizens  which  grew  more 
intense  as  the  days  went  by  and  nothing  was 
heard  from  Hanson.  Although  Tom  Allison 
knew  nothing  about  the  letter  that  had  been 
left  onJBeardsley's  porch  until  the  latter  told 
him,  there  were  many  in  the  settlement  who 
knew  about  it  and  vv^ere  wondering  who  could 
have  put  it  there.  The  captain's  negroes  were 
the  first  to  find  it  out,  and  Mrs.  Brown,  the 
neighborhood  gossip  who  read  the  letter  for 
Beardsley's  daughter,  was  the  second  ;  and 
among  them  all  they  had  managed  to  spread 
the  story  considerably. 

Tom  Allison  was  like  Captain  Beardsley  in 
one  respect — he  could  not  keep  a  secret  any 
longer  than  it  took  him  to  find  some  congenial 
spirit  who  was  willing  to  share  it  with  him. 
He  was  eager  to  tell  all  he  knew,  and  sometimes 


THE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  45 

he  told  a  good  deal  more  ;  consequently,  the 
first  thing  he  did  after  Beardsley  received  his 
mail  and  left  the  ofiice  to  find  the  three  men 
who  had  gone  out  a  while  before,  was  to  give 
his  particular  friend  and  crony  Mark  Goodwin, 
a  swaggering,  boastful  young  rebel  like  him- 
self, a  wink  and  a  nod  that  brought  him  across 
to  Tom's  side  of  the  store. 

"  What  is  it,  old  fellow?"  whispered  Mark. 
"Your face  is  full  of  news." 

"  And  so  is  my  head,"  replied  Tom.  "  I  am 
loaded  clear  to  the  muzzle,  and  anxious  to 
shoot  myself  off  at  your  head.  I  am  going  to 
ride  down  to  exchange  a  few  yjirns  with  Mrs. 
Brown;  will  you  go  along?" 

"What's  the  use?"  exclaimed  Mark,  look- 
ing through  the  moist  windows  into  the  street. 
"You  won't  get  anything  but  lies  out  of  her. 
And  just  see  how  it  rains  !  " 

"It  doesn't  rain  to  hurt  anything,  and  we 
can't  talk  here,"  said  Tom.  "I  don't  care 
whether  Mrs.  Brown  tells  me  the  truth  or  not, 
so  long  as  she  will  aid  me  in  spreading  a  few 
items  of  news  that  came  to  my  ears  tliis  morn- 
ing.    Better  go,  for  I  promise  that  I  will  sur- 


46  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

prise  you.  You  know  I  rode  down  with 
Beards]  ey." 

"And  I  rather  wondered  at  it.  I  can  re- 
member when  you  used  to  speak  of  him  in  a 
way  that  was  anything  but  complimentary. 
Did  he  tell  you  what  brought  him  home?" 
said  Mark,  in  a  whisper.  "  Come  along  then. 
I  am  ready  to  be  surprised." 

The  two  boys  mounted  their  horses  and  rode 
away  through  the  driving  rain,  and  as  they 
rode,  Tom  Allison  electrified  his  friend  by 
making  a  clean  breast  of  everything  Beardsley 
had  told  him,  and  which  he  had  promised  to 
keep  to  himself  ;  and  observing  that  Mark  was 
interested  and  excited  by  the  narrative,  Tom 
added  to  it  a  few  details  of  his  own  invention. 
He  declared  that  Hanson  had  told  Beardsley, 
in  confidence,  that  Mrs.  Gray  owed  a  big  pile 
of  money  to  Northern  men,  and  instead  of 
turning  it  over  to  the  government,  as  the  law 
provided,  she  was  keeping  it  for  her  own 
use. 

•*And  how  does  it  come  that  Hanson 
could  learn  so  much  of  Mrs.  Gray's  private 
affairs?"  demanded  Mark.      "He  didn't  live 


THE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  47 

in   the  house,    but  in    the   quarter  with   the 
niggers." 

"Probably  some  of  the  house  servants 
posted  him,"  answered  Tom.  "You  know 
that  prying  darkies  sometimes  find  out  a  heap 
of  things." 

"That's  so,"  assented  Mark.  "Tom,  you 
have  told  me  great  news — Mrs.  Gray  with  a 
gold  mine  hidden  somewhere  in  her  house,  and 
Marcy  taking  his  brother  Jack  out  to  the  Yan- 
kee fleet  to  give  him  a  chance  to  enlist  under 
the  old  flag !  What  are  we  coming  to  ?  What 
are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ?  You  must  have 
some  plan  in  your  head,  or  you  wouldn't  be  go- 
ing to  see  Mrs.  Brown.  You  had  better  be 
careful  what  you  say  in  the  presence  of  that 
old  witch,  or  she  may  get  you  into  trouble." 

"  That  is  the  very  thing  I  wanted  to  talk  to 
you  about,"  replied  Tom.  "What  do  you 
think  we  ought  to  do  'i  I  don't  know  whether 
I  have  the  straight  of  the  story  or  not,  but  I  am 
sure  Mrs.  Brown  has,  for  Beardsley  probably 
told  her  all  about  it  as  soon  as  he  got  home 
last  night.  That  man  can't  keep  a  thing  to 
himself  to  save  his  life.     I  thought  it  might  be 


48  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

a  good  idea  to  see  what  Mrs.  Brown  thinks 
about  it,  and  to  ask  her  if  there  is  any  truth  in 
the  report  that  a  band  of  men  has  been  got  to- 
gether to  rob  Mrs.  Gray's  house." 

"I  will  tell  you  one  thing  confidentially," 
said  Mark.  "If  that  part  of  the  story  isn't 
true,  a  few  wags  of  Mrs.  Brown's  tongue  will 
make  it  true.  There  are  dozens  of  men  right 
here  in  this  country,  and  you  and  I  are  ac- 
quainted with  some  of  them,  who  would  jump 
down  on  that  house  this  very  night  if  they 
were  sure  they  could  make  anything  by  it." 

"I  know  that,  but  I  don't  care  ;  do  you?  I 
always  did  despise  those  Grays,  ^nd  now  that 
they  have  shown  themselves  to  be  traitors,  I  say 
let  them  suffer  for  it.  You  heard  Marcy  tell 
me  to  put  a  uniform  on  before  I  presumed  to 
speak  to  him  again,  didn't  you  ? " 

"  Yes  ;  and  I  heard  his  brother  Jack  call  you 
a  stay-at-home  blow-hard.  1  looked  for  you  to 
tackle  the  pair  of  them  the  moment  they  in- 
sulted you  ;  but  you  surprised  me  and  all  the 
rest  of  your  friends  by  keeping  perfectly  still," 
observed  Mark,  who  knew  well  enough  that 
Tom    lacked    the    courage    to   "tackle"   the 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  49 

brothers,  either  of  whom  coald  have  tossed  him 
half-way  across  the  post-office  without  very- 
much  trouble. 

"I  was  biding  my  time,"  replied  Allison, 
making  his  riding- whip  whistle  viciously 
through  the  air  just  above  his  horse's  ears. 
"It  has  come  now,  and  if  Marcy  Gray  doesn't 
take  that  insulting  word  back  as  publicly  as 
he  gave  it  to  me " 

"Oh,  you  needn't  look  for  him  to  do  that. 
Marcy  isn't  that  sort  of  a  fellow." 

"He'll  wish  he  was  that  sort  before  I  am 
^one  with  him,"  said  Tom,  with  spiteful  em- 
phasis. "That's  one  reason  why  I  am  going 
to  see  Mrs.  Brown.  I  want  her  to  spread  it 
around  that  Marcy  took  Jack  out  to  the 
blockading  fleet." 

"She  is  just  the  one  to  do  it,"  said  Mark, 
with  a  laugh.  "And  the  way  to  make  her 
go  about  it  as  though  she  meant  business  is 
to  tell  her  your  story  under  a  pledge  of 
secrecy." 

"  And  there  is  another  matter  that  I  want  to 
speak  to  you  about,"  continued  Tom.  "  What 
scheme  have  Shelby  and  Dillon  and  the  post- 

4 


50  MAKCY,    THE  EEFUGEE. 

master  and  your  father  and  mine  got  in  hand 
that  they  take  so  much  pains  to  keep  from  us 
boys?" 

"I  wish  I  knew,"  answered  Mark,  wliose 
face  showed  that  his  companion's  words  had 
made  him  angry.  "  Tliey  talk  about  some- 
thing or  other  as  often  as  they  get  togetlier, 
and  if  I  take  a  step  in  their  direction  they 
either  send  me  about  my  business,  or  stoj) 
talking.  And  I  tell  you  I  don't  like  to  be 
treated  that  way." 

"That  is  just  the  way  they  treat  me,  and  I 
don't  like  it  either,"  said  Tom.  "More  than 
that,  I  won't  stand  it." 

"I  don't  see  how  you  are  going  to  help 
yourself." 

"Perhaps  you  don't,  but  I  think  I  do. 
Beardsley  belongs  to  the  ring,  of  course,  and  if 
he  doesn't  keep  me  posted  in  all  their  plans, 
I'll  go  to  work  to  upset  them." 

"Why,  Tom,  are  you  crazy?"  exclaimed 
Mark,  who  had  never  been  more  amazed. 

"No;  but  I  am  mad  clear  through.  I  am 
not  willing  to  go  into  the  army  unless  I  can 
have  an  office  of  some  kind,  but  I  am  eager  to 


THE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  51 

fight  traitors  here  at  liome ;  and  if  those  men 
won' t  give  me  a  chance  to  help  them,  I  shall 
fight  on  my  own  hook." 

"  But  how  can  you  ?  And  how  will  you  go 
to  work  to  upset  their  plans  when  you  don't 
know  what  they  are  ?  You  take  a  friend's  ad- 
vice and  behave  yourself.  Why,  Tom,  I 
wouldn't  willingly  incur  the  enmity  of  the 
Union  men  about  here  for  all  the  money  there 
is  in  the  State.  They  are  too  desperate  a  lot 
for  me  to  fool  with.  Nobody  knows  for  cer- 
tain who  they  are,  and  that  makes  them  all 
the  more  dangerous." 

About  this  time  the  boys  dismounted  in 
front  of  Mrs.  Brown's  humble  abode — a  small 
log-cabin  which  Beardsley  had  built  for  her  in 
the  edge  of  a  briar  patch  on  his  own  planta- 
tion. That  was  the  only  neighborly  act  that 
anybody  ever  knew  the  captain  to  be  guilty 
of  ;  but  then  it  was  not  entirely  unselfisli  on 
his  part.  Beardsley  received  important  let- 
ters now  and  then.  He  was  not  good  at  read- 
ing all  sorts  of  writing,  and  when  he  came 
upon  a  sentence  that  he  could  not  master,  it 
was  little  trouble  for  him  to  run  over  to  Mrs. 


52  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Brown's  cabin  and  ask  her  to  decipher  it  for 
him.  And — it  is  a  remarkable  thing  to  tell,  but 
it  is  the  truth — the  contents  of  those  letters 
were  safe  with  Mrs.  Brown.  She  would  tell 
any  and  every  thing  else  that  came  to  her 
knowledge,  no  matter  how  it  might  hurt 
somebody,  but  who  Beardsley's  correspond- 
ents were  and  what  they  wrote  about,  no 
one  could  learn  from   her. 

Having  sheltered  their  horses  in  some  fashion 
behind  the  cabin,  the  boys  opened  the  door 
without  knocking,  and  went  in.  There  were 
two  persons  in  the  single  room  the  cabin  con- 
tained— a  little,  dried-up  woman  who  sat  in  a 
low  rocking-chair  in  front  of  the  fire  with  a 
dingy  snuff-stick  between  her  toothless  gums, 
and  one  of  Beardsley's  negro  girls  who  had 
come  over  to  "slick  up  things." 

"  How  do  you  find  yourself  this  fine  morn- 
ing, mother?"  said  Tom  familiarly.  "We 
thought  w^e  would  drop  in  to  warm  by  your 
comfortable  blaze,  and  see  if  you  are  in  need 
of  any  little  things  we  can  get  for  you.  By 
the  way,"  he  added,  putting  his  hand  into  his 
pocket,  "it's  a  long  time  since  I  gave  anything 


THE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  53 

toward  buying  a  jar  of  snuff.  Take  that  till  I 
come  again." 

"I  see  the  captain  has  returned  ;  and  quite 
unexpectedly,  too,  I  am  told,"  said  Mark,  pull- 
ing off  his  dripping  overcoat  and  hanging  it 
upon  a  wooden  peg  in  the  chimney-corner.  ' '  I 
wish  he  might  find  the  man  who  wrote  him  that 
threatening  letter  and  broke  up  his  business.  I 
am  sure  he  would  make  it  warm  for  him." 

"Every  one  of  them  triflin'  hounds  had 
oughter  have  a  hickory  wore  out  on  their 
bare  backs,"  said  the  old  woman,  in  tones 
which  sounded  so  nearly  like  the  snarl  of 
some  wild  animal  that  Tom  Allison  shud- 
dered, although  he  had  often  heard  her  s^Deak 
that  way  before. 

"  Do  you  know  who  they  are  1 " 

"Of  course  she  knows  who  they  are,"  ex- 
claimed Mark.  "The  question  is,  is  she  at 
liberty  to  tell." 

"  Mebbe  I  know,  an'  mebbe  I  don't,"  said  the 
woman,  with  a  contortion  of  her  wrinkled  face 
that  was  intended  for  a  wink  and  a  smile.  "I 
aint  one  of  them  folks  who  tells  all  they 
know,     I  am  a  master-hand  to  keep  things 


54  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

to  myself  when  they  are  told  to  me  for  a 
secret." 

"  Everybody  knows  that,  and  it  is  the  reason 
why  everybody  is  so  willing  to  trust  yon,"  said 
Tom  ;  and  seeing  that  he  had  not  given  the  old 
woman  quite  enough  to  loosen  her  tongue,  lie 
turned  to  Mark  and  added  :  "I  was  sure  we 
would  forget  it,  we  are  so  careless.  We  came 
away  from  your  house  without  ever  once  think- 
ing of  that  side  of  bacon  we  were  going  to  bring 
to  Mrs.  Brown." 

"I  knew  we  had  forgotten  something,"  said 
Mark  regretfully,  "and  sure' s  you  live  that's 
it.  But  it  will  keep  till  we  come  again,  won't 
it,  mother  ?  Who  did  you  say  wrote  that 
letter?" 

"  You're  very  good  boys  to  be  always 
thinkin'  of  a  poor  c]'ipi:)led  body  like  me,  who 
can' t  get  about  to  hear  a  bit  of  news  on  ac- 
count of  the  pesky  rheumatiz  that  bothers  me 
night  an^  day,"  whined  the  old  woman. 
"Now  when  I  was  a  bright,  lively  young 
gal " 

"Did  I  understand  you  to  say  that  Jack 
Gray  had  something  to  do  with  the  abduction 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP,  55 

of  Ills  mother's  overseer?"  interrupted  Mark, 
who  knew  it  woukl  never  do  to  let  the  okl 
woman  get  started  on  the  story  of  her  girlhood. 
"  You  astonish  me  ;  you  do  for  a  fact !  " 

"I  disremember  that  I  have  spoke  Jack 
Gray's  name  at  all  sense  you  two  have  been 
here,"  said  Mrs.  Brown  cautiously. 

"  But  you  did,  though.     Didn't  she,  Tom  ?" 

"I  thought  so,  certainly  ;  and  I  told  myself 
at  the  time,  that  I  did  not  see  how  Jack  could 
have  had  any  hand  in  Hanson's  taking  off,  for 
I  have  heard  that  he  was  not  at  home  when  the 
thing  was  done." 

"No  more  he  wasn't  to  hum.  He  Avas  on  his 
way  to  jine  the  Yankee  navy,  dog-gone  him  an' 
them,"  snapped  the  woman,  whose  tongue  was 
fairly  loosened  now.  "But  he  left  them  be- 
liine  who  works  as  well  fur  him  when  he  aint 
to  hum  as  when  he  is." 

"  We  know  that  very  well,"  said  Tom,  who 
was  surprised  to  hear  it,  "  but  we  don't  know 
for  certain  who  they  are.  Mark,  don't  you  see 
that  Mrs.  Brown  is  looking  for  her  pipe  ?  " 

Mark  hadn'  t  noticed  it,  but  all  the  same  he 
hunted  around  on  the  mantel  until  he  found  the 


56  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

well-blackened  corn-cob,  but  he  could  not  bring 
himself  to  light  it.  He  filled  the  bowl  with 
some  natural  leaf  he  saw  in  a  box  and  handed 
it  to  the  woman,  who  set  it  going  with  the  aid 
of  a  live  coal  which  she  took  from  the  hearth 
in  her  bony  fingers. 

"You  two  aint  furgot  the  stranger  who 
popped  up  in  Nashville  all  on  a  sudden  like, 
about  the  time  that  Jack  Gray  came  hum  from 
Newbern,  have  you?"  continued  the  old 
woman,  after  she  had  assured  herself  by  a  few 
long,  audible  puffs  that  her  pipe  was  well 
lighted.  "  Lemme  see  if  I  have  disremembered 
his  name.  'No ;  sounds  to  me  like  it  was  Aleck 
Webster." 

"Don't  know  him,"  said  Tom,  in  a  disap- 
pointed tone. 

"  I  don't  know  him  either,"  chimed  in  Mark, 
"but  I  have  seen  him.  You  know  old  man 
Webster,  Tom,  who  lives  about  six  miles  down 
the  main  road.     Well,  Aleck  is  his  son." 

"Now  I  do  think,  in  my  soul,"  exclaimed 
Allison,  "things  have  come  to  a  pretty  pass 
when  Crackers  like  those  Websters  can  throw 
a  settlement  like  this  into  a  panic,  and  order 


THE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP,  57 

prominent  and  wealthy  planters  like  Captain 
Beardsley  to  quit  business  and  come  home  on 
penalty  of  being  burned  out  in  case  of  dis- 
obedience." 

"You're  mighty  right,"  said  Mrs.  Brown, 
who  was  pleased  to  hear  the  captain  called  a 
prominent  and  wealthy  planter.  "Sich  trash 
aint  no  call  to  live  on  this  broad  'arth. 
They're  wuss  than  the  niggers,  an'  a  heap 
lower  down." 

"But  have  you  any  evidence  against  the 
Websters  ?"  inquired  Mark. 

"  I've  got  a  plenty.  In  the  fust  place  they 
don' t  say  nothing  ;  an'  folks  as  don' t  say  noth- 
ing these  times  ain't  fitten  to  live.  Now  is  the 
day  when  every  man  oughter  come  out  an' 
show  their  colors,"  said  the  woman,  quoting 
from  Beardsley. 

"  That  means  Marcy  Gray,"  said  Tom.  "  I 
wish  I  could  see  a  gang  of  armed  men  take 
him  out  of  the  house  and  carry  him  off." 

"He  mustn't  be  teched,"  said  the  woman 
very  decidedly. 

"Who  mustn't — Marcy?"  exclaimed  Tom 
and    Mark    in    a   breath.      "Who    said    so? 


58  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

What's  the  reason  he  mustn't  be  touched? 
He's  a  traitoi'.'' 

"  I  don't  know  whether  he  is  or  not ;  but  he 
mustn't  be  pestered.  Leastwise  by  folks  liv- 
ing around  here  in  the  settlement." 

Tom  looked  at  Mark,  and  Mark  looked  about 
for  a  chair  and  sat  down.  Then  they  both 
looked  at  the  old  woman.  This  was  something 
mysterious,  and  they  wanted  to  have  it  ex- 
plained. 

"I  aint  got  no  more  to  say  on  that  there 
p'int,"  said  Mrs.  Brown,  her  tone  and  manner 
showing  that  the  question  did  not  admit  of 
argument.  "He'll  be  teched  fast  enough 
when  the  time  comes,  Marcy  Gray  will,  an' 
don't  you  furget  to  remember  what  I'm  tellin' 
you.  But  them  as  goes  for  IMarcy  will  be 
folks  that  can't  be  pestered  by  the  men  who 
toted  Hanson  off  to  the  swamp." 

"Ah!  Now  I  see  daylight,"  said  Tom, 
with  something  that  sounded  like  a  sigh  of 
relief.  "I  thought  you  meant  that  Marcy 
was  to  be  left  alone  altogether  for  the  reason 
that  he  w^as  believed  to  be  a  good  Confeder- 
ate.    And  when  these  friends  of  ours,  who- 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  59 

ever  they  may  be,  go  for  liim,  I  suppose 
they'll  not  neglect  to  look  for  the  money 
that  Mrs.  Gray  is  known  to  have  in  her 
house  ? " 

"I  aint  heared  that  anybody  knows  for  sar- 
tin  that  the  money  is  there,"  said  Mrs.  Brown. 
"Leastwise,  they  don't  know  it  yit.  There 
won't  be  nothing  much  done  till  that  there  is 
settled  fur  a  fact." 

'^Tlien  Marcy  will  never  be  molested," 
declared  Tom,  throwing  a  chip  spitefully  into 
the  fire.  "He  can  go  out  to  the  blockading 
fleet  as  often  as  he  pleases  and  ship  a  dozen 
brothers  in  the  Yankee  navy  if  he  wants  to, 
and  nothing  will  be  done  to  him.  If  Jack 
Gray  left  men  behind  to  work  for  him  while 
he  is  at  sea,  Marcy  must  know  who  they  are 
and  where  to  find  them,  and  he  can  set  them 
on  to  Mark's  father  or  mine  whenever  he  feels 
like  it.  I'll  touch  him  the  first  good  chance  I 
get,  and  don't  you  forget  to  remember  tliat. 
He  is  a  traitor,  and  I  Avouldn'  t  let  him  alone 
if  all  the  Captain  Beardsleys  in  the  country 
should  say  so.  And  how  is  any  one  to  find  out 
for  certain  that  his  mother  has  money  con- 


60  MAECY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

cealed  in  lier  house  ?  She  isn't  going  to  pub- 
lish it  to  the  world,  is  she  ?  " 

The  longer  Allison  talked  the  more  his  anger 
rose,  and  when  he  got  through  he  was  stalking 
about  the  narrow  limits  of  the  cabin,  shaking 
his  fists  over  his  head  in  the  most  frantic  man- 
ner. The  old  woman  waited  patiently  for 
him  to  sit  down  again,  and  then  she  took  her 
pipe  from  her  mouth  long  enough  to  say  : 

"  Kelsey  is  out  of  a  job  jest  now." 

"That's  no  news.  He's  always  that  way. 
He  won't  work  when  he  gets  the  chance.  He 
would  rather  beg  his  living  or  steal  it." 

"  I  know  that  he's  mighty  shiftless  an' 
triflin',  but  he's  a  tol'able  overseer,  Kelsey  is, 
when  he  onct  makes  up  his  mine  to  do  some- 
thing," said  the  woman.  "  Now  that  Hanson 
has  went  off  the  Grays  aint  got  nobody  to 
boss  the  hands." 

"  The  idea !  "  cried  Tom,  who  began  to  "  see 
daylight "  once  more.  "  Does  Captain  Beards- 
ley  labor  under  the  delusion  that  Marcy  Gray 
will  hire  that  man  Kelsey,  who  is  next  door  to 
a  fool,  and  allow  him " 

"  Yes,    Kelsey    is    tol'able    triflin',    an'    that 


TflE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  61 

there  is  a  fact,"  interrupted  the  woman. 
"But  he  aint  nobody's  fule.  He's  as  sly  an 
ole  fox  as  you  can  meet  in  a  day's  travel," 

"Marcy  Gray  will  not  have  him  on  the 
place,  I  tell  you,"  said  Tom.  "And  even  if 
he  should  be  dunce  enough  to  hire  him,  how 
could  Kelsey  find  out  whether  or  not  there 
was  any  money  in  the  house  ?  If  the  captain 
has  anything  against  Kelsey,  and  wants  him 
to  disappear  some  dark  night  as  Hanson  did, 
he  is  taking  the  right  course  to  bring  it  about. 
That's  what  will  happen  to  Kelsey  if  he  goes 
to  work  on  that  plantation,  and  I  want  you 
both  to  remember  my  words." 

"And  let  me  tell  you  another  thing,"  added 
Mark.  "  No  one  man  is  going  to  find  the  hid- 
ing-place of  that  money  if  there  is  any  about 
the  house.  When  the  building  is  down  and 
the  foundations  are  torn  up,  then  it  will  be 
found,  and  not  before." 

"That  there  is  a  fact,"  observed  the  woman. 

"  Where  do  you  think  it  is  concealed,  any 
way?"  inquired  Tom.  "I  had  an  idea  tliat 
it  might  be  buried  in  the  garden." 

"I  am  willing  to  bet  my  horse  against  your 


62  MAKCY,    THE  KEFUGEE. 

jack-knife  that  it  isn't,"  replied  Mark.  "It 
is  so  close  to  the  house  that  the  family  can 
keep  an  eye  on  all  the  approaches  to  it,  and  it 
is  where  fire  can't  touch  it." 

"Then  it  must  be  buried  in  the  cellar,"  ex- 
claimed Tom.  "I  declare!  I  believe  you  have 
hit  the  exact  spot.  I  should  like  to  be  left 
alone  in  that  place  for  about  an  hour  with  a 
shovel  to  work  with.  I  would  be  rich  when  I 
came  out." 

"You  jest  keep  away  from  that  there  sul- 
ler,"  said  the  old  woman  sternly.  "Don't 
go  nigh  the  house,  nary  one  of  you." 

The  two  boys  elevated  their  eye-brows  and 
looked  at  each  other,  and  it  was  as  much  as 
half  a  minute  before  Mark  Goodwin  con- 
tinued : 

"You  would  be  fooled  if  you  looked  any- 
where but  in  the  walls  for  it.  So  a  shovel 
would  be  of  no  use  to  you.  I  have  been  in 
that  cellar  when  Marcy  and  I  were  on  better 
terms  than  we  are  now,  and  I  know  that  the 
floor  is  laid  in  cement.  It  would  be  a  job,  I 
tell  you,  for  a  woman  to  dig  it  up  and  put  it 
down  again,  and  she  couldn'.t  do  it  so  that  the 


THE   NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  63 

spot  would  not  show  itself  to  the  first  person 
who  might  happen  to  go  in  there." 

"A  woman  !  "  exclaimed  Allison. 

"  Yes,  for  a  woman  did  the  work,"  answered 
Mark,  who  could  not  have  spoken  with  more 
confidence  if  he  had  been  in  Mrs.  Gray's  com- 
pany on  the  night  the  thirty  thousand  dollars 
were  concealed.  ' '  You  know  Marcy  was  not 
at  home  when  his  mother  made  those  trips 
about  the  country." 

"What  of  that?  Didn't  she  take  some  of 
her  old  servants  into  her  confidence  ?" 

"  No,  sir.  When  people  are  trying  to  carry 
water  on  both  shoulders  as  Mrs.  Gray  is,  they 
don't  let  one  hand  know  what  the  other  does." 

"  And  I  believe,"  said  Allison,  getting  upon 
his  feet  again  and  walking  about  the  cabin, 
"that  if  somebody  should  go  for  Mrs.  Gray's 
coachman  in  the  right  way,  he  would  find  out 
all  about  it.  But  I  say,  Mark,  it's  time  for  us 
to  be  riding  along.  What  shall  we  bring  you 
when  we  come  again,  mother?  Snuff  and 
smoking  tobacco  are  always  acceptable, '  I 
suppose?" 

"And  don't  forget  to  say  that  you  haven't 


64  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

seen  either  one  of  us  for  more  tlian  a  week," 
chimed  in  Mark.  "Doings  of  some  sort  are 
liable  to  happen  in  the  settlement  at  any  hour 
of  the  day  or  night,  and  we  don't  want  our 
names  mixed  up  with  them.  We  shall  attend 
strictly  to  our  own  business,  and  hope  that 
those  ruffians  who  carried  Hanson  away  will 
do  the  same." 

"  I  am  mighty  glad  to  hear  you  say  that,  and 
I  don't  want  you  to  disremember  what  I  have 
tole  you,"  answered  the  old  woman,  with  some 
earnestness.  "You  aint  to  go  a-pesterin'  of 
Marcy  Gray  an'  his  maw,  kase  there  is  folks 
about  here  who  won't  by  no  means  take  it  kind 
of  you  if  you  do." 

The  boys  promised  that  they  would  bear  her 
warning  in  mind,  but  Tom  Allison  told  himself 
that  he  thought  he  should  do  as  he  pleased 
about  heeding  it.  He  was  not  obliged  to  con- 
sult anybody's  wishes,  in  dealing  with  such  a 
traitor  as  Marcy  Gray  had  shown  himself  to 
be.  He  turned  his  back  to  the  fire  while  Mark 
was  "putting  on  his  overcoat,  and  just  then  a 
gentle  snore  reminded  him  that  there  was  one 
person  in  the  cabin  whom  he  had  forgotten.     It 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD   GOSSIP.  65 

was  the  negro  girl  who.  having  cleared  away 
the  late  breakfast  dishes  and  put  the  little 
furniture  there  was  in  the  room  to  rights,  had 
drawn  a  chair  to  the  table  and  fallen  fast  asleep 
with  her  head  resting  on  her  folded  arms.  Tom 
took  one  look  at  her,  and  then  he  and  Mark 
went  out.  Neither  of  them  said  a  word,  until 
they  had  mounted  their  horses  and  ridden  into 
the  road,  and  then  Mark  inquired  : 

"  What  do  you  know  now  more  than  you 
did  when  you  came  here  ?  All  I  have  learned 
is  that  Beardsley  is  afraid  of  Marcy  Gray,  and 
don't  want  anything  to  happen  to  him,  if  he  can 
help  it,  for  fear  that  the  blame  would  be  laid  at 
his  door.  I  tell  you,  Tom  Allison,  as  long  as 
those  men  who  carried  Hanson  away  are  at 
large,  we  have  got  to  look  out  what  we  say  and 
do.  It's  an  awful  state  of  affairs,  but  that  is 
the  way  it  looks  to  me." 

That  was  the  way  it  looked  to  Tom  also ; 
and  as  he  could  not  say  anything  encouraging, 
he  held  his  peace,  and  rode  on  with  his  eyes 
fastened  upon  the  horn  of  his  saddle. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

VISITOES   US'   PLENTY. 

ALTHOUGH  we  have  said  that  Marcy 
.xTJL  Gray  appeared  to  be  as  calm  as  a  sum- 
mer's morning,  lie  was  not  so  in  reality.  He 
had  the  most  disquieting  reflections  for  com- 
pany during  every  one  of  his  waking  hours,  and 
they  troubled  him  so  that  he  found  it  next  to 
impossible  to  concentrate  his  mind  on  any- 
thing. On  this  particular  morning  he  felt  so 
very  gloomy  that  he  did  not  ride  his  filly  to 
town,  as  was  his  usual  custom,  but  sent  old 
Morris  and  a  mule  instead.  What  was  the  use 
of  going  to  the  post-office  through  all  that  rain 
just  to  listen  to  the  idle  boasts  of  a  few  stay-at- 
home  rebels  who  could  not  or  would  not  tell 
him  a  single  reliable  item  of  news  ?  He  and  his 
mother  had  been  talking  over  the  situation — it 
was  what  they  always  talked  about  when  they 
were  alone — and  the  conclusion  to  which  they 
came  was,  that  their  affairs  could  not  go  on  in 

m 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  67 

this  way  mucli  longer,  and  that  a  change  for 
better  or  worse  was  sure  to  come  before  many 
days  more  had  passed  away. 

"  I  suppose  our  situation  might  be  worse,  but 
I  can't  see  how,"  said  Marcy,  rising  from  his 
seat  on  the  sofa  and  loolving  out  at  one  of  the 
streaming  windows. 

"  Would  it  not  be  worse  if  we  had  no  roof  to 
shelter  us  in  weather  like  this  ?  "  inquired  Mrs. 
Gray. 

"  It  would  be  bad  for  us  if  our  house  was 
burned,  of  course,"  answered  Marcy.  "But 
as  for  a  roof,  we  shall  always  have  that.  If 
they  turn  us  out  of  here  we'll  go  to  the 
quarters  ;  and  if  they  burn  us  out  of  there,  we'll 
go  into  the  woods  and  throw  up  a  shanty.  As 
long  as  they  leave  me  or  a  single  darky  on 
the  place  the  weather  will  never  trouble  you, 
mother." 

"But  I  am  afraid  they  will  not  leave  you 
with  me,"  replied  Mrs.  Gray.  "You  know 
that  General  Wise  has  asked  the  Richmond 
authorities  to  re-enforce  him  at  Roanoke 
Island,  and  they  have  told  him  to  re-enforce 
himself.     You  know  what  that  means  t  " 


68  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

"Yes  ;  it  means  a  general  drumming  np  of 
recruits  among  the  lukewarm  rebels  here- 
abouts. But  it  doesn't  scare  me.  When  I 
see  such  fellows  as  Allison,  Goodwin,  Shelby, 
and  Dillon,  and  a  dozen  others  I  could  men- 
tion, shoulder  a  musket  and  go  to  the  defence 
of  the  Island,  then  I  shall  begin  to  worry- 
about  myself,  and  not  before.  Mother,  Cap- 
tain Beardsley  and  his  friends  w  ill  not  permit 
me  to  be  forced  into  the  army,  and  neither  will 
they  let  harm  come  to  you,  if  they  have  influ- 
ence enough  to  prevent  it." 

"  Marcy,  I  am  afraid  you  are  placing  too 
much  reliance  upon  Aleck  Webster  and  his 
friends,"  said  his  mother.  "They  have  not 
brought  Beardsley  home  yet,  Supi^ose  he  has 
the  courage  to  defy  them  ?  " 

"But  he  hasn't,"  said  the  boy  earnestly. 
"He  hasn't  had  time  to  answer  that  letter  yet, 
but  he  will  do  it,  and  he  will  answer  it  in  per- 
son. I  know  he  would  have  the  courage  to 
brave  an  oj)en  enemy,  especially  if  he  was 
driven  into  a  corner  and  couldn't  run,  but  it 
worries  him,  as  it  does  everyone  else,  to  have 
people  work  against  him  in  secret.     He  will 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  69 

come  home  before  lie  will  allow  his  i:)roperty 
to  be  destroyed,  and  Aleck  assured  me  that  if 
anything  happens  to  us,  Beardsley  will  have 
to  stand  punishment  for  it.  But  I  do  wish  he 
had  not  caught  Jack  and  me  at  Crooked  Inlet. 
He  will  tell  all  about  it  the  minute  he  gets 
home — he  would  die  if  he  had  to  keep  it  to 
himself — and  I  am  afraid  the  folks  about  here 
will  do  something  to  us  in  spite  of  all  Beardsley 
and  his  friends  can  do  to  prevent  it.  I  won- 
der where  those  two  horsemen  are  going  in 
such  haste.  Why,  mother,  they  are  rebel 
officers,  and  they  are  turning  toward  the  gate. 
Yes,  sir  ;  they  are  coming  in.  Now  w^liat  do 
you  suppose  they  want  here  ? " 

This  was  a  startling  piece  of  news,  and  a 
question  that  Mrs.  Gray  could  not  answer. 
Although  there  were  two  garrisons  within  a 
few  miles  of  the  plantation,  one  being  located 
at  Plymouth  and  the  other  at  Roanoke  Island, 
Marcy  and  his  mother  seldom  saw  any  soldiers, 
unless  they  happened  to  be  neiglibors  who  had 
enlisted,  and  come  home  on  a  few  days'  fur- 
lough. These  furloughed  men  never  came 
near  the  house,  but  rode  by  without  looking 


70  MARCY,    THE  EEFUGEE. 

at  it ;  while  the  two  men  who  were  now  ap- 
proaching were  headed  straight  for  it,  and 
their  actions  seemed  to  indicate  that  they 
had  business  with  some  member  of  the  family. 
Marcy  glanced  at  his  mother's  pale  but  reso- 
lute face,  and  then  he  looked  up  at  the  Con- 
federate banner — the  one  Captain  Semmes 
hoisted  at  the  Sabine^  s  peak  when  he  put  his 
prize  crew  aboard  of  her,  and  which  Sailor 
Jack  had  captured  and  brought  home  with 
him.  That  flag  had  twice  taken  the  little 
Fairy  Belle  in  safety  past  the  rebel  fortifica- 
tions down  the  river,  and  Marcy  had  great 
hopes  of  it  now. 

"  It  may  not  serve  you  this  time  as  well  as 
it  did  before,"  said  his  mother,  who  seemed 
to  read  the  thoughts  that  were  passing  in  his 
mind.  "I  was  afraid  you  would  miss  it  by 
passing  those  batteries  in  broad  daylight,  but 
I  do  not  understand  these  things,  and  did  not 
think  it  best  to  raise  any  objections  to  Jack's 
plans." 

"  Why,  mother,  we  never  could  have  run 
those  works  in  the  dark  without  being  seen  and 
fired  at  and  perhaps  sunk,"  replied   Marcy. 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  71 

**  The  very  impudence  of  the  tiling  was  what 
disarmed  suspicion  and  saved  us  from  being- 
searched.  We'll  soon  know  the  worst  now, 
for  here  they  are  at  tlie  bottom  of  the  steps. 
I  shall  ask  them  right  in  here." 

So  saying  Marcy  opened  the  door  that  gave 
entrance  into  the  hall,  and  called  for  Julius  to 
run  around  to  the  front  door  and  take  charge 
of  a  couple  of  horses  he  would  find  there,  after 
which  he  stepped  out  upon  the  gallery  just  as 
the  Confederates  were  getting  ready  to  hail  the 
house. 

"Good-morning,  gentlemen,"  said  he. 
"  Alight,  and  give  your  nags  over  to  this  boy." 

The  officers  replied  in  courteous  tones,  and 
when  they  had  ascended  the  steps  to  the  gal- 
lery and  turned  down  the  wide  collars  of  their 
gray  overcoats,  Marcy  was  somewhat  relieved 
to  find  that  they  were  both  strangers,  and  that 
they  did  not  look  at  him  as  though  they  had 
anything  unpleasant  to  say  to  him. 

"I  am  Captain  Porter,  at  your  service,  and 
my  friend  here  is  Lieutenant  Anderson  ;  no 
relation,  however,  to  the  Yankee  hero  of  Fort 
Sumter,  who,  so  I  am  told,  is  about  to  be  canon- 


72  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ized  by  the  Northern  people,"  said  the  elder 
of  the  two ;  and  then  he  waited  a  moment  for 
his  subordinate  to  laugh  at  his  wit.  "  If  you 
are  Marcy  Gray  and  the  head  man  of  the  plan- 
tation, you  are  the  man  we  are  looking  for. 
Who  wouldn't  be  a  soldier  this  fine  weather? 
How  is  your  arm  coming  on  by  this  time  V 

Marcy  was  beginning  to  feel  a  little  at  his 
ease  in  the  presence  of  his  unwelcome  visitors, 
but  this  abrupt  question  aroused  his  fears  on 
the  instant.  Did  the  captain  know  what  was 
the  matter  with  his  arm  1  and  if  he  did,  which 
one  of  their  gossiping  neighbors  told  him  about 
it  ?    He  was  anxious  to  know,  but  afraid  to  ask. 

"  It  is  getting  better  every  day,  thank  you," 
was  his  reply.  "  Will  you  not  come  and  speak 
to  my  mother?  Julius  will  put  your  horses 
under  shelter." 

"We  are 'most  too  muddy  to  go  into  the 
presence  of  a  lady,"  said  the  captain,  looking 
down  at  his  boots,  "but  as  I  don't  want  to  blot 
my  notebook  by  taking  it  out  in  the  rain,  I 
think  we'll  have  to  go  in.  We  had  a  short 
but  interesting  chat  with  your  captain  a  while 
ago."  I 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  73 

"  Beardsley  ? "  Marcy  almost  gasped.  "  Has 
he  got  home?" 

"Of  course  he  has.  You  didn't  think  the 
Yankees  had  captured  him,  I  hope.  He  gave  us 
a  good  account  of  you,  and  since  you  can't  run 
the  blockade  any  more,  I  wish  you  would 
hurry  up  and  get  well  so  that  you  can 
join " 

Right  here  the  captain  stopped  long  enough 
to  permit  Marcy  to  introduce  him  and  his 
lieutenant  to  Mrs.  Gray.  They  sat  down  in 
the  easy-chairs  that  were  brought  for  them, 
made  a  few  remarks  about  the  weather,  and 
then  the  captain  resumed. 

"Yes  ;  w^e  saw  Beardsley  this  morning,  and 
would  have  been  glad  to  spend  a  longer  time 
with  him,  but  business  prevented.  He  says 
you  are  a  brave  and  skilful  pilot,  and  I 
happen  to  know  that  they  are  the  sort  of  men 
who  are  needed  on  our  gunboats  ;  but,  of 
course,  you  can't  go  just  now.  Hallo  !  "  ex- 
claimed the  captain,  whose  gaze  had  wandered 
to  the  rebel  flag  that  hung  upon  the  wall. 
"  Where  did  you  get  that,  if  it  is  a  fair  ques- 
tion ?  " 


74  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"  It  is  one  my  brother  brought  home  with 
him,"  answered  Marcy,  speaking  with  a  cahn- 
ness  that  surprised  himself.  "  He  was  second 
mate  and  pilot  of  the  blockade  runner  West 
Wind  that  was  fitted  out  and  loaded  in  the 
port  of  Boston." 

"Oh,  yes  ;  we  heard  all  abont  him  too," 
said  the  captain,  and  Marcy  afterward  con- 
fessed that  the  words  frightened  him  out  of  a 
year's  growth.  "  He  went  down  to  Newbern 
to  ship  on  an  ironclad  he  didn'  t  find  ;  so  I  sup- 
pose he  went  into  the  army,  did  he  not  V 

"Not  that  I  know  of,"  answered  Marcy, 
looking  first  one  oflBcer  and  then  the  other 
squarely  in  the  eye.  "Almost  the  last  thing 
I  heard  him  say  was,  that  he  was  going  to 
ship  on  a  war  vessel." 

"  Then  he  will  have  to  come  back  here  to  do 
it,  for  there  is  no  ironclad  building  at  New- 
bern,  and  I  don't  see  why  he  did  not  ship  with 
Commodore  Lynch  in  the  first  place,"  said 
Captain  Porter.  "But  doubtless  he  wanted 
to  serve  on  deep  water.  Now  to  business. 
We  want  negroes  to  work  on  the  fortifications 
on  and  about  the  Island,  and  Captain  Beards- 


VISITOKS   IN  PLENTY.  75 

ley  sent  us  here  to  get  some.  He  said  lie 
tliouglit  you  might  spare,  say  fifty  or  more." 

Marcy  was  suspicious  of  everything  Beards- 
ley  said  and  did,  and  wondered  if  this  was  a 
new  move  on  the  man's  part  to  bring  him  and 
his  mother  into  trouble  with  the  Confederate 
authorities.  If  it  was  a  trap  Marcy  did  not 
fall  into  it. 

"  You  can  call  on  my  mother  for  double  that 
number,"  said  he  without  an  instant's  hesita- 
tion. "We  can't  spare  them,  of  course,  for 
there's  work  enough  to  be  done  on  the  place  ; 
but  all  the  same  you  will  have  to  get  them." 

"AH  right,"  answered  the  captain,  pulling 
out  his  notebook.  "  Send  them  down  to  Plym- 
outh as  soon  as  you  can  and  in  any  way  you 
please,  and  we  will  furnish  them  with  transpor- 
tation and  take  care  of  them  after  that.  By  the 
way,  it's  rather  queer  about  that  overseer 
of  yours.  Where  do  you  imagine  he  is 
now?" 

If  Marcy  had  not  been  fully  on  the  alert  this 
question  would  have  struck  him  dumb  ;  but 
the  captain,  whose  suspicions  had  not  been  in 
the  least  aroused,  and  who  believed  Marcy  and 


76  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

liis  mother  to  be  as  good  Confederates  as  he 
was  himself,  had  unwittingly  paved  the  way 
for  it  by  talking  so  freely  about  Captain 
Beardsley, 

"  It  was  a  very  strange  as  well  as  a  most 
alarming  proceeding,"  admitted  Mrs.  Gray, 
who  thought  it  time  for  her  to  take  part  in 
the  conversation.  "  I  have  not  yet  fully  re- 
covered from  the  fright  it  gave  me,"  she  added, 
with  a  smile,  "  and  we  have  not  the  faintest 
idea  where  Hanson  is  now." 

"What  was  Hanson  anyhow  ?  Which  side 
was  he  on  ?" 

"I  don't  know,"  replied  Marcy.  "Some- 
times he  claimed  to  be  one  thing,  and  then  he 
claimed  to  be  another." 

"  Captain  Beardsley  thinks  he  Avas  in  favor 
of  the  South." 

"That  proves  my  words,  for  he  assured  me 
that  he  was  a  Union  man,  and  wanted  to  know 
if  I  was  going  to  discharge  him  on  account  of 
his  principles.  I  told  him  I  was  not,  and  added 
that  if  Shelby  and  Dillon  and  their  friends 
wanted  him  driven  from  the  place  they  could 
come  up  and  do  the  work  themselves,  for  I 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  77 

would  have  no  hand  in  it.  I  desire  to  live  in 
peace  with  all  my  neighbors," 

"Oh,  you  can't  do  that,  and  it's  no  use  to 
try,"  exclaimed  the  captain,  getting  upon  his 
feet  and  buttoning  his  heavy  coat.  "  Beyond 
a  doubt  your  overseer  was  a  Confederate  in 
principle  ;  and  if  that  is  so,  his  abductors  must 
have  been  Union  men.  If  Confederates  had 
carried  him  away  they  would  not  hesitate  to 
say  so.  Those  Unionists  must  be  your  near 
neighbors,  and  if  I  were  in  your  place,  I  should 
not  show  my  colors  quite  so  plainly,"  added 
the  captain,  pointing  to  the  banner  on  the  wall. 
"  I  am  surprised  to  learn  that  there  are  so 
many  traitors  in  my  State,  and  we  shall  turn 
our  attention  to  them  as  soon  as  we  have 
beaten  back  the  Yankee  invaders  of  our  soil." 

"Do  you  think  there  will  be  any  more 
fighting,  captain?"  asked  Mrs.  Gray  anx- 
iously. 

"Yes,  madam,  I  do.  I  am  not  one  of  those 
who  believe  that  the  North  is  going  to  be 
easily  whipped.  They  do  not  belong  to  our 
race,  I  am  glad  to  say,  but  they  are  a  hardy, 
enduring  people,    and    although    they   don't 


78  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

know  how  to  figlit  they  think  they  do,  and 
they  are  going  to  give  us  a  struggle.  We 
must  hold  fast  to  Roanoke  Island,  for  the 
possession  of  that  imj)ortant  point  would  give 
the  enemy  a  chance  to  oi3erate  in  the  rear  of 
Norfolk.  We  expect  to  have  a  brush  with 
them  soon,  and  when  it  comes,  Ave  intend  to 
make  another  Bull  Run  affair  of  it.  I  wish 
we  could  remain  longer,  but  our  duties  call  us 
away.  I  trust  you  will  have  those  negroes 
down  to  us  to-morrow." 

Mrs.  Gray  replied  that  they  should  be  sent 
without  loss  of  time,  and  Marcy  went  out  to 
tell  Julius  to  bring  up  the  horses.  When  he 
came  back  and  followed  the  officers  to  the 
front  door,  he  inquired  if  they  had  heard  what 
Beardsley's  reason  was  for  quitting  a  profit- 
able business  and  coming  home  so  unex- 
pectedly. 

"Oh,  yes;  Beardsley  told  us  all  about  it. 
He  said  he  was  afraid  of  the  Yankees,  and  he 
didn't  act  as  though  he  Avas  ashamed  to  con- 
fess it.  Their  cruisers  are  getting  so  thick 
along  the  coast  that  a  sailing  vessel  stands  no 
chance.     I  asked  him  if  he  was  going  to  enlist 


VISITORS   Ilf   PLENTY.  79 

and  he  thought  not.  He  wants  to  do  his  fight- 
ing on  the  water." 

"He  wants  to  do  his  fighting  with  his 
mouth,"  was  what  Marcy  said  to  himself. 
"He  will  neither  enlist  nor  ship  ;  but  he  will 
stay  at  home  and  try  by  all  the  mean  arts  that 
he  is  master  of  to  keep  mother  and  n;e  in 
trouble."  Then  aloud  he  said:  "I  am  glad 
he  came  home,  for  it  lets  me  out  of  the  service. 
I  have  no  desire  to  face  any  more  steam 
launches  that  carry  howitzers." 

"I  suppose  not,"  said  the  captain,  giving 
Marcy' s  hand  a  hearty  farewell  shake.  "  The 
more  I  see  of  those  people  the  less  I  like  to 
face  them  in  battle.  I  hope  you  will  soon 
have  the  use  of  your  arm  again,  and  that  I 
shall  see  you  by  my  side  fighting  for  the 
glorious  cause  of  Southern  independence. 
Good-by." 

The  two  officers  mounted  and  rode  away, 
Marcy  remained  upon  the  gallery  long  enough 
to  wave  his  hand  to  them  as  they  passed 
through  the  gate,  and  then  he  went  into  the 
house  and  to  the  room  in  which  he  had  left  his 
mother. 


80  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

"What  did  I  tell  you?"  were  the  first 
words  he  uttered.  "  Didn't  I  say  that  Beards- 
ley  would  not  let  harm  come  to  us  if  he  could 
help  it  ?  I  tell  you,  mother,  he  is  afraid  of 
the  men  who  carried  Hanson  away  and  ordered 
him  to  come  home." 

"  Well,  then,  is  he  not  aware  that  we  are 
looking  to  those  same  men  for  protection?" 
inquired  Mrs.  Gray. 

"  If  he  doesn't  know  it  he  suspects  it  pretty 
strongly.  Aleck  Webster  told  me  that  Beards- 
ley  had  been  warned  to  cease  persecuting 
Union  people  in  this  settlement.  That  in- 
cludes you  and  me,  for  the  minute  Beardsley 
saw  and  recognized  my  schooner  in  Crooked 
Inlet,  that  very  minute  he  knew  where  to 
place  us.  He  knows  where  Jack  is  now  as 
well  as  we  know  it  ourselves." 

"  And  will  he  not  tell  of  it  ?  " 

"Of  course,  for  it  is  to  his  interest  to  do  so. 
If  he  has  been  home  long  enough  to  ride  into 
Nashville,  he  has  told  Shelby  and  Dillon  of  it 
before  this  time.  I  wish  I  could  see  a  copy  of 
the  letter  that  was  sent  to  him  by  Aleck  and 
his  friends.     I  am  sorry  to  lose  all  our  best 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  81 

hands  at  the  very  time  we  need  them  most,  but 
all  the  same  I  am  glad  those  officers  came  here. 
They  didn't  say  money  once,  and  that  proves 
that  Beardsley  could  not  have  spoken  of  it  in 
their  hearing." 

"O  Marcy,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gray,  rising 
from  her  chair  and  nervously  pacing  the  room. 
"  I  little  dreamed  that  that  money  would  be 
the  occasion  of  so  much  anxiety  to  all  of  us. 
I  almost  wish  I  had  never  seen  it.  I  can't 
sleep  of  nights  for  thinking  of  it,  and  some- 
times I  imagine  I  hear  someone  moving  about 
the  cellar." 

"I  don't  wish  you  had  never  heard  of  it," 
replied  Marcy.  "We  can't  tell  how  long  it 
will  be  before  a  dollar  or  two  of  it  may  come 
handy  to  us.  Say,  mother,"  he  added,  stei> 
ping  to  her  side  and  placing  his  arm  about  her 
waist,  "do  you  think  you  would  be  any  easier 
in  your  mind  if  you  did  not  know  just  where 
that  money  was,  so  long  as  you  knew  it  was 
safe?" 

"  I  know  I  should,"  was  the  reply,  given  in 
cautious  tones,  "  But,  my  son,  you  must  not 
attempt  to  remove  it  to  another  hiding-place. 


82  MARcy,  THE  kefugee. 

There  seem  to  be  so  many  who  are  on  the 
watch,  that  I  am  sure  you  would  be  detected 
at  it.  That  Avould  mean  ruin  for  you  and 
arrest  and  imprisonment  for  me." 

Marcy  Gray  was  surprised,  frightened,  and 
angered  by  the  words — surprised  to  learn  that 
his  mother  was  tormented  by  the  very  fear 
that  had  been  uppermost  in  the  mind  of  the 
absent  Jack  ;  frightened  when  he  reflected 
how  very  easy  it  would  be  for  some  of  their 
secret  enemies  to  bring  evidence  to  prove  that 
every  dollar  of  the  money  that  was  concealed 
in  the  cellar-wall  rightfully  belonged  to 
Northern  men,  and  that  Mrs.  Graj^  was  hoard- 
ing it  for  her  own  use  in  violation  of  the  law 
in  such  cases  made  and  provided  ;  and  angered 
when  he  thought  of  the  many  indignities  that 
would  be  put  upon  his  mother  by  the  Confed- 
erate authorities,  who  had  showed  themselves 
to  be  brutally  vindictive  and  merciless  in  deal- 
ing with  those  whose  opinions  differed  from 
their  own.  He  drew  a  long  breath  w^hich  was 
very  like  a  sob,  and  led  his  mother  back  to 
her  seat  on  the  sofa. 

"All  right,"  said  he,  with  an  appearance  of 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  83 

cheerfulness  that  he  was  far  from  feeling.  "  I 
thought  it  would  be  a  load  off  your  mind  if 
you  could  say  that  there  is  no  money  about 
the  house  except  the  little  you  carry  in  your 
pocket." 

Mrs.  Gray  noticed  that  the  boy  did  not 
promise  to  let  the  money  alone,  but  before 
she  could  call  his  attention  to  the  fact  Marcy 
faced  about  and  went  into  the  hall  after  his 
coat  and  cap. 

"It  is  almost  time  for  the  hands  to  have 
their  dinner,"  said  he,  "  and  when  I  get  them 
together  I  will  tell  them  the  news.  Of  course 
they  will  be  delighted  with  it." 

"I  am  afraid  they  will  put  them  under 
some  old  overseer  who  will  abuse  and  drive 
them  beyond  their  strength,"  observed  Mrs. 
Gray. 

"  I  think  it  likely  that  they  will  see  the  dif- 
ference between  working  for  you  and  working 
for  somebody  else,"  admitted  Marcy.  "But 
these  are  war  times,  and  when  we  can't  help  our- 
selves we  must  do  as  we  are  told.  Our  darkies 
ought  to  be  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  labor 
for  the  government  that  is  fighting  to  keep 


84  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

tliem  slaves.  I  wonder  liow  many  Captain 
Beardsley  will  send  !  " 

"  You  said  a  while  ago  that  it  would  be  to 
the  captain's  interest  to  tell  of  his  meeting 
with  you  and  Jack  at  Crooked  Inlet,"  ob- 
served Mrs.  Gray.  ' '  I  didn'  t  quite  understand 
that." 

"  Well,  you  see  Beardsley  needs  help  to 
carry  out  his  plans,  and  his  game  now  is  to  do 
nothing  that  will  cause  Hanson's  abductors  to 
turn  their  attention  to  him  and  his  buildings. 
He  believes,  and  he  has  good  reason  to  believe, 
that  certain  men  around  here  have  it  in  their 
power  to  damage  him  greatly  ;  and  if  he  can 
bring  Shelby  and  Dillon  and  the  rest  of  the  gang 
to  his  way  of  thinking,  they  will  be  apt  to  let 
us  alone.  Now  I  will  go  out  and  make  a  detail 
of  the  men  we  need  about  the  place,  and  tell 
the  others  that  they  must  be  ready  to  march 
at  daylight  in  the  morning.  I  am  not  going  to 
send  them  off  in  this  rain." 

"The  captain  said  nothing  about  picks  and 
shovels,"  suggested  Mrs.  Gray.  "Perhaps  it 
would  be  well " 

"  Picks    and    shovels  cost  money,"  inter- 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  85 

rupted  Marcy,  "and  we  are  not  going  to  send 
any  down  there  to  be  stolen.  Let  the  Con- 
federate government  furnish  its  own  tools. 
Now  I  am  beaten  again  !  Here  are  two  more 
visitors,  and  this  time  they  are  Captain  Beards- 
ley  and  Colonel  Shelby." 

This  very  unwelcome  announcement  brought 
Mrs.  Gray  to  her  feet  in  a  twinkling. 
"What  do  you  think  they  can  want  here?" 
she  almost  gasped,  with  a  good  deal  of  em- 
phasis on  the  i)ronoun. 

"They  are  coming  to  make  friends  with 
you,  so  that  you  will  not  tell  the  Union  men 
to  destroy  their  property,"  replied  Marcy. 

"But,  my  son,  I  never  would  do  anything 
of  the  kind.  And  besides,  I  do  not  know 
the  Union  men,  or  where  to  find  them." 

"No  difference  so  long  as  they  think  you 
do.  Now  sit  down  and  be  as  independent  as 
you  please,  and  I  will  let  them  in.  Julius, 
stand  by  the  front  door  to  take  those  horses." 

These  men  were  admitted  as  the  others  were, 
but  with  very  different  feelings  on  the  part  of 
those  they  came  to  visit.  Ca^Dtain  Porter  and 
his  lieutenant  had  donned  uniforms  and  were 


86  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ready  to  risk  their  lives  for  the  cause  in  which 
they  honestly  believed,  but  these  two  lacked 
the  courage  to  do  that.  Beardsley  was  ready 
to  do  anything  that  would  bring  him  a  dollar, 
provided  there  was  no  danger  in  it,  while 
Shelby  would  not  have  enlisted  if  he  knew 
that  he  could  thereby  earn  a  right  to  the  title 
that  was  now  given  him  out  of  respect  to  his 
wealth.  They  were  ready  to  urge  or  drive 
others  into  the  army,  but  it  hurt  them  to  be 
obliged  to  send  their  negroes  to  work  on  the 
fortifications.  Colonel  Shelby  entered  the  room 
and  seated  himself  with  an  air  of  a  gentleman, 
while  Beardsley  acted  the  boor,  as  he  always 
did.  He  gave  Marcy's  well  hand  a  tremendous 
grip  and  shake,  and  said,  in  the  same  voice  he 
would  have  used  if  he  had  been  hailing  the 
masthead  : 

"Well,  how  do  you  find  yourself  by  this 
time?  Ain't  you  sorry  now  that  you  didn't 
take  out  a  venture  when  I  wanted  you  to,  so 
that  you  might  be  shaking  thousands  in  your 
pocket  at  this  minute,  when  you've  only  got 
hunderds?  My  respects  to  you,  Mrs.  Gray; 
but  when  me  and  this  boy  of  yourn  get  to 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  87 

talking  we  don't  know  when  to  stop.  Hope 
you  have  been  well  since  I  saw  you  last,  and 
that  the  carrying  away  of  your  overseer  didn't 
scare  you  none." 

Marcy  was  well  enough'  acquainted  with 
Captain  Beardsley  to  know  that  he  did  not 
rattle  on  in  this  style  for  nothing.  The  man 
was  excited  and  nervous,  and  tried  to  conceal 
his  feelings  under  a  cloak  of  hearty  good 
nature  and  jollity  that  ill  became  him.  Marcy 
sat  down  and  looked  at  him  in  a  way  that 
made  Captain  Beardsley  mutter  to  himself  : 

"  I'd  like  the  best  in  the  world  to  wring 
that  there  brat's  neck.  He's  got  the  upper 
hand  of  me  and  Shelby  and  all  of  us,  and 
dog-gone  the  luck,  he  knows  it.  I'd  give  a 
dollar  to  know  what  he's  got  on  his  mind 
this  very  minute." 

After  a  little  talk  on  various  subjects  that 
were  of  no  particular  interest  to  anybody.  Cap- 
tain Beardsley  introduced  the  subject  of  block- 
ade running,  and  gave  a  glowing  description 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  hoodwinked 
the  Yankee  cruisers  by  dodging  out  of  Ocra- 
coke  Inlet  while  they  were  busy  fighting  the 


88  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

forts  at  Hatteras.  He  seenied  to  look  iix)on 
it  as  a  very  daring  and  skillful  exploit,  and 
yet  it  was  nothing  more  than  any  alert  ship- 
master would  have  done  under  the  same  cir. 
cumstances. 

"After  that  we  had  fun  alive,"  added  the 
captain  ;  and  Marcy  was  surprised  to  see  him 
put  his  hand  into  the  pocket  of  his  overcoat 
and  bring  out  a  good-sized  canvas  bag  which 
was  filled  so  full  of  something  heavy  that  it 
would  not  hold  any  more.  "All  we  had  to  do 
Avas  to  run  down  to  Nassau,  discharge  oui 
cargo,  and  load  up  and  come  back  again  ;  and 
all  the  while  we  was  making  money  till  I 
couldn't  eat  nor  sleep  on  account  of  it,  and 
the  Yankees  never  showed  up  to  bother  us." 

"You  were  fortunate,"  said  Marcy,  when 
Beardsley  stopped  and  looked  at  him. 

"That  ain't  no  name  for  it.  We  had  the 
best  kind  of  luck.  I  kept  a  bright  watch  for 
that  steam  launch  when  w^e  passed  through 
Crooked  Inlet,  but  she  had  got  tired  of  wait- 
ing and  went  off  somewheres.  We  seen  one  or 
two  little  blockade  runners  like  ourselves,  but 
no  Yankees.    Now  there's  your  share  of  the 


VISITOES   IN   PLENTY.  89 

profits,  Marcy,"  said  tlie  captain,  and  he  got 
np  and  placed  the  canvas  bag  upon  the  table. 
"We  made  two  runs,  and  I  promised  you  I 
would  give  you  five  hunderd  dollars " 

"But,  Captain,"  exclaimed  Marcy,  while 
Mrs.  Gray  looked  troubled,  "I  have  no  right 
to  take  that  money.  I  wasn't  aboard  the 
Hattie  when  she  made  those  two  runs." 

"That's  the  gospel  truth  ;  but  didn't  I  say  I 
would  keep  your  place  open  for  you  while  you 
was  laid  up  in  ordinary  with  your  broken  arm  ? 
I  did  for  a  fact,  and  I  always  stand  to  what  I 
say," 

"  But  I  haven't  done  the  first  thing  to  earn 
that  thousand  dollars,  and  I  hope  you  will 
believe  that  I  am  in  dead  earnest  when  I  assure 
you  that  I'll  not  touch  it,"  replied  Marcy, 

There  was  no  doubt  about  his  earnestness, 
and  the  captain  looked  disappointed.  He 
settled  back  in  his  chair  and  nodded  at  Shelby, 
and  that  was  a  bad  thing  for  him  to  do.  It 
told  Marcy  as  plainly  as  words  what  their 
object  was  in  coming  there  to  call  upon  him 
and  his  mother. 

"Even  if  you  were  not  on  board  the  Haitle 


90  MARCY,  tup:  refugee. 

when  she  made  those  successful  trips,  you 
belonged  to  her,  and  have  a  right  to  demand 
pay  according  to  contract,"  said  the  colonel. 

"And  while  I  belonged  to  her  I  took  pay 
according  to  contract,"  said  Marcy  quickly. 
"  I  was  paid  by  the  ran  and  not  by  the  month." 

"I  have  never  heard  that  the  pay  of  an  en- 
listed man  ceases  the  moment  he  is  injured," 
added  the  colonel. 

"Nor  I  either;  but  I  am  not  an  enlisted 
man,  and  what's  more,  I  do  not  intend  to 
be." 

"Well,  if  you  won't  take  the  money,  you 
will  acknowledge  that  I  tried  to  do  the  fair 
thing  by  you?  "  said  Beardsley. 

"I  am  willing  to  say  that  you  offered  me 
some  money  and  that  I  declined  to  take  it," 
answered  the  boy,  who  knew  very  well  that 
Beardsley  was  not  trying  to  do  the  fair  thing 
by  him.  "  As  it  is  nobody's  business,  I  never 
expect  to  be  questioned  about  it." 

The  captain  took  little  share  in  the  conver- 
sation that  followed.  He  put  the  canvas  bag 
into  his  pocket,  folded  his  arms  and  went  into 
the  dumps,  where  he  remained  until  the  name 


VISITORS   IN   PLENTY.  91 

of  the  missing  overseer  was  mentioned,  and 
then  he  brightened  up  to  say  : 

"That  there  was  a  little  the  strangest  thing 
I  ever  heard  tell  of.  What's  went  with  Han- 
son, do  yon  reckon  ?" 

"  I  haven't  the  least  idea  where  he  is,"  was 
Marcy's  answer. 

"  I  know  you  wasn't  to  home  when  he  was 
took  off — leastwise  I  have  been  told  so,"  said 
Beardsley,  "but  I  didn't  know  but  mebbe  you 
and  your  maw  might  suspicion  somebody. 
N^ow  what  you  going  to  do  for  an  overseer? 
There's  that  renter  of  mine,  Kelsey  his  name 
is.  I  know  you  don't  collogue  with  no  such, 
but  mebbe  you  know  who  he  is." 

Marcy  started,  and  looked  first  at  his 
mother  and  then  at  Captain  Beardsley.  The 
latter  sat  with  his  bearded  chin  on  his  breast, 
regarding  Marcy  through  his  half-closed  eye- 
lids, and  there  was  an  expression  on  his  face 
that  had  a  volume  of  meaning  in  it.  Taken  by 
surprise  at  last,  the  usually  sharp-witted  boy 
had  betrayed  the  secret  he  was  most  anxious 
to  keep  from  the  knowledge  of  everybody. 


CHAPTEK  V. 

maecy's  rash  wish. 

I  KNOW  miglity  well  that  Kelsey  is  tri- 
fling and  lazy  when  he  ain't  got  nothing 
much  to  occupy  his  mind,"  said  Beardsley, 
who  was  not  slow  to  catch  the  meaning  of  the 
frightened  glances  which  mother  and  son  so 
quickly  exchanged,  "but  when  he  was  work- 
ing on  my  place  and  bossing  my  hands,  I 
found  him " 

"Are  you  in  earnest  in  proposing  him  for 
my  mother's  overseer?"  cried  Marcy,  as  soon 
as  he  could  speak.  "  Our  fields  can  grow  up 
to  briars  first." 

"But  really,  he  wants  work,"  began  the 
colonel. 

"Then  let  him  go  down  to  the  Island  and 
work  in  the  trenches,"  replied  Marcy.  "He 
can't  come  here." 

"But  Kelsey  is  the  only  support  of  his 
family,"  the  colonel  remarked.     "He  is  loyal 


MARCy'S   RASH  WISH.  93 

to  our  cause,  and  would  enlist  in  a  minute  if  he 
had  enough  ahead  to  support  his  wife  and 
children  during  his  absence  ;  but  he  hasn't 
got  it." 

"  They  will  fare  just  as  well  without  him  as 
they  do  with  him.  If  they  get  hungry,  my 
mother  will  no  doubt  feed  them  as  she  has 
done  a  hundred  times  before  ;  but  Kelsey  can't 
come  on  this  place  to  work.  There  isn'  t  money 
enough  in  the  State  to  induce  us  to  agree  to 
that." 

"  But  what  you  uns  going  to  do  for  an  over- 
seer 1 "  said  Beardsley  again.  "You'll  need 
one  if  you  intend  to  run  the  place." 

"Not  until  the  hands  return  from  the 
Island,"  replied  Marcy,  "and  then  I  shall  take 
hold  myself." 

Having  done  all  they  intended  to  do  when 
they  came  there  the  visitors  were  ready  to 
leave,  and  Colonel  Shelby  gave  the  signal  by 
arising  from  his  chair  and  pulling  his  collar 
up  about  his  ears. 

"I  still  think,  Mrs.  Gray,  that  Marc  3^  ought 
to  take  this  money,"  said  he.  "The  captain 
does  not  offer  it  to  him  as  a  gift  but  as  his  due." 


94  MAECY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

"  We  perfectly  understand  the  object  lie  had 
in  mind,"  answered  the  lady;  whereupon  the 
colonel  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  at  her  very 
hard.  "But  if  Marcy  thinks  he  ought  not  to 
receive  it  I  have  nothing  to  say." 

"I  hope  you  will  not  regret  it,"  said  the 
colonel.  "  Some  people  seem  to  think  that  we 
are  about  entering  upon  a  long  conflict,  and 
that  money  will  be  a  necessary  thing  to  have 
after  a  while." 

"  But  if  you  get  hard  up,  which  I  hope  you 
won't,  don't  forget  that  this  thousand  dollars 
is  all  yourn,  Marcy,"  exclaimed  the  captain. 

Marcy  assured  him  that  he  would  bear  it  in 
mind.  If  Beardsley  hoped  to  hear  him  declare 
that  his  mother  had  more  money  in  the  house 
than  she  was  likely  to  need,  he  was  disap- 
pointed. 

"And  don't  forget  either,  that  if  at  any 
time  you  stand  in  need  of  such  assistance  as 
the  captain  and  I  can  give,  you  must  not  hesi- 
tate to  say  so,"  continued  the  colonel,  as  he 
bowed  to  Mrs.  Gray  and  followed  Marcy  to 
the  door.  "Our  little  settlement,  I  am  sorry 
to  say,  is  full  of  the  meanest  of  traitors,  and  it 


marcy's  kash  wish.  95 

may  comfort  you  to  know  that  there  are  a  few 
persons  in  it  to  whom  you  can  speak  freely." 

"  We  know  that,  and  it  certainly  is  a  very 
great  comfort  to  us,"  replied  Marcy,  thinking 
of  Aleck  Webster.  "  It  will  take  more  than  a 
thousand  dollars  to  keep  roofs  over  your 
heads  if  anything  comes  of  this  day's  work," 
was  what  he  added  to  himself  when  he  had 
seen  the  men  ride  out  of  the  yard.  "I  saw 
through  your  little  game  from  the  first,  and 
yet  I  went  and  gave  myself  away.  That  was 
about  the  biggest  piece  of  foolishness  I  was 
ever  guilty  of  ;  but  I  suppose  it  was  to  be  so. 
I  was  all  in  the  dark  before,  but  I  know  what 
I  am  going  to  do  now." 

In  order  that  we  may  know  whether  or  not 
Marcy' s  fears  were  well  founded,  let  us  ride 
with  Beardsley  and  his  companion  long 
enough  to  overhear  a  few  words  of  their  con- 
versation. The  moment  they  rode  out  of  the 
gate,  and  were  concealed  from  the  house  by 
the  thick  shrubbery  and  trees  that  surrounded 
it,  Beardsley  threw  back  the  collar  of  his  coat, 
giving  the  cold  rain  and  sleet  a  fair  chance  at 
him,  and  almost  reeled  in  his  saddle,  so  con- 


96  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

vulsed  v/as  lie  with  the  merriment  that  could 
no  longer  be  restrained. 

"I  done  it,  by  gnm  !"  he  exclaimed,  shak- 
ing his  head  and  flourishing  his  riding-whix)  in 
the  air.     "  I  done  it,  didn't  I  ? " 

"You  did  not  purchase  his  good-will,  if 
that  is  what  you  mean,"  answered  his  com- 
panion. "  He  wouldn't  touch  your  gold.  He 
knew  why  you  offered  it  as  well  as  I  did,  and 
I  was  satisfied  from  the  start  that  you  would 
not  catch  him  that  way.  He  will  put  those 
Union  men  on  you  if  you  so  much  as  crook 
your  finger." 

"But  I  aint  a-going  to  crook  no  fingers," 
said  Beardsley,  with  a  hoarse  laugh.  "Let 
him  sick  'em  on  if  he  wants  to,  but  he'd  best 
watch  out  that  I  don't  get  there  first.  Say, 
colonel,  that  there  money  is  in  the  house  all 
right,  just  as  we  uns  thought  it  was." 

"  How  do  you  know?"  exclaimed  his  com- 
panion. The  colonel  had  not  noticed  the 
frightened  glances  that  Marcy  and  his  mother 
exchanged  when  Kelsey's  name  was  men- 
tioned, and  he  was  surprised  to  hear  Beards- 
ley  speak  so  positively. 


maecy's  eash  wish.  97 

"Say!"  answered  tlie  captain.  "Yon  aint 
forgot  how  you  sent  Kelsey  np  to  Mrs.  Gray's, 
while  I  was  at  sea,  to  make  some  inquiries 
about  the  money  she  was  thought  to  have 
stowed  away,  have  you  ?  Well,  Marcy  and 
his  mother  aint  forgot  it  nuther  ;  and  when  I 
spoke  Kelsey' s  name,  and  said  mebbe  he  would 
be  a  good  one  to  take  Hanson's  place,  Marcy 
jumped  like  I  had  stuck  a  pin  in  him." 
"Well,  what  of  it?" 

"What  of  it?  Marcy  knowed  in  a  minute 
that  I  wanted  to  have  that  man  took  on  the 
plantation  for  to  snoop  around  of  nights  and 
find  out  all  about  that  money.  But  I  aint  a- 
caring.  I  know  the  money  is  there,  and  that's 
all  I  wanted  to  find  out.  The  ways  I  have 
talked  and  schemed  and  planned  to  make  that 
there  boy  say  that  him  and  his  maw  had  as 
much  as  they  wanted  to  tide  them  through  the 
war  that's  coming,  is  just  amazing,  now  that  I 
think  of  it ;  but  not  a  word  could  I  get  out  of 
him.  He  was  too  smart  to  be  ketched  ;  but 
all  on  a  sudden  he  gives  out  the  secret  as  easy 
as  falling  off  a  log.  The  money  is  there,  I  tell 
you." 


98  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEK. 

"And  you  intend  to  get  it,  I  suppose?" 
added  the  colonel.  "Well,  now,  look  here, 
Beardsley  ;  don't  say  a  word  to  me  about  it." 

"All  right.  Colonel,"  said  Beardsley,  who 
could  scarcely  have  been  happier  if  he  had 
had  the  whole  of  Mrs.  Gray's  thirty  thousand 
dollars  where  he  could  put  his  hand  upon  it  at 
any  time  he  i:>leased.  "I  know  what  you 
mean  by  them  words.  Of  course  you  are  too 
big  a  man  and  too  rich  to  go  into  business  with 
me,  but  I  know  some  who  aint.  I'll  show 
them  Grays  that  they  aint  so  great  as  they 
think  for." 

"  Have  you  so  soon  forgotten  what  that 
letter  said?"  inquired  the  colonel.  "  If  any- 
thing happens  to  Marcy's  mother  or  her  prop- 
erty some  of  us  will  be  sure  to  suffer  for  it, 
unless  you  are  sharp  enough  to  lay  the  blame 
upon  some  one  else." 

"Say!"  replied  Beardsley,  in  a  Avhisper. 
"That's  what  I'm  thinking  of  doing.  Your 
time's  your  own,  I  reckon,  aint  it?  and  you 
don't  mind  a  little  mite  of  rain,  do  you? 
Then  come  with  me  and  see  how  I  am  going  to 
work  it." 


marcy's  rash  wish.  99 

So  saying  the  captain  urged  liis  horse  into  a 
lope,  and  Colonel  Shelby  followed  his  example. 
After  a  while  they  turned  into  one  of  the 
narrow  lanes  that  ran  through  Beardsley's 
cultivated  fields  to  the  woods  that  lay  behind 
them,  galloped  past  Mrs.  Brown's  cheerless 
cabin,  and  at  last  drew  rein  before  the  door  of 
one  that  was  still  more  cheei*less  and  dilapi- 
dated. It  stood  in  one  corner  of  a  little  patch 
of  ground  that  had  been  planted  to  corn  and 
potatoes,  and  which  had  received  such  slight 
care  and  attention  of  late  years  that  the  black- 
berry briars  w^ere  beginning  to  take  possession 
of  it.  A  small  pack  of  lean  and  hungry  coon 
dogs  greeted  the  visitors  as  they  stopped  in 
front  of  the  cabin,  and  their  yelping  soon 
brought  their  master  to  the  door.  He  was  the 
same  lazy  Kelsey  we  once  saw  sitting  on  the 
front  porch  of  Mrs.  Gray's  house,  only  his 
hair  was  longer,  his  whiskers  more  tangled  and 
matted,  and  his  clothes  worse  for  w^ear. 

"  Alight  and  hitch,"  was  the  way  in  which 
he  welcomed  Captain  Beardsley  and  his  com- 
panion.    "  Git  out,  ye  whelps  !  " 

"  CauH  stop  so  long,"  replied  the  captain. 


100  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"Been  over  to  Mrs.  Gray's  to  see  liow  my 
pilot  was  getting  on,  and  tried  to  scare  up  a 
job  for  you  at  overseering,  in  the  place  of  that 
chap  who  was  took  off  in  the  night  time." 

"I  dunno's  I  am  a-caring  for  a  job  of  that 
sort,"  answered  Kelsey.  "I've  got  a  sight 
of  work  of  my  own  that  had  oughter  be 
did." 

"That's  so,"  said  Beardsley,  glancing  at  the 
broken  fences,  the  bare  wood -yard  and  the 
briars  that  were  encroaching  upon  the  borders 
of  the  little  field.  "But  there's  no  ready 
money  in  your  work,  while  there  is  a  sight  of 
it  up  to  the  Grays." 

"I  won't  work  for  no  sich,"  declared  Kel- 
sey. "They  think  too  much  of  their 
niggers." 

"They  set  a  heap  more  store  by  them  nor 
they  do  by  such  poor  folks  as  you  be.  But 
you  needn't  bother.  They  won't  take  you 
and  give  you  a  chance  to  keep  your  head  above 
water,  and  put  a  bite  of  grub  into  the  mouths 
of  your  family  and  a  few  duds  on  their  backs. 
They  allowed  that  they  wouldn't  have  no  such 
trifling  hound  as  you  on  their  place." 


marcy's  rash  wish.  101 

"Did  Mrs.  Gray  use  them  words  about 
me?"  exclaimed  Kelsey,  growing  excited  on 
tlie  instant. 

"I  heard  somebody  say  them  very  words, 
but  I  aint  naming  no  names  ;  nor  I  aint  been 
nowheres  except  up  to  Mrs.  Gray's  to-day. 
One  of  'em  allowed  that  if  you  wasn't  too  dog- 
gone useless  to  live,  you'd  go  and  'list  on  the 
Island." 

"I'm  jest  as  good  as  they  be,"  said  the  man, 
who  by  this  time  was  looking  as  though  he 
felt  very  ugly. 

"  That's  so.  And  some  of  'em  likewise  said 
that  a  man  who  was  too  lazy  to  kee^D  a  tight 
roof  over  his  own  head,  Avhen  he  could  have 
nails  and  boards  by  asking  for  'em,  wouldn't 
do  no  good  as  an  overseer,"  added  Beardsley, 
counting  the  holes  in  the  top  of  the  cabin 
through  which  the  rafters  could  be  seen,  and 
glancing  at  the  stick  chimney,  which  leaned 
away  from  the  wall  as  if  it  were  about  to 
topple  over.  "But  that  aint  what  I  come 
here  for,  to  carry  tales  about  my  neighbors. 
I  want  to  say  I'm  glad  to  see  you  doing  so 
well,  and  that  if  you  are  needing  a  small  side 


102  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

of  meat  and  a  little  meal,  you  know  wliere  to 
get  'em." 

"  Sarvant,  sail,"  replied  Kelsey.  "That 
there  is  more  neighbor-like  than  demeaning  a 
man  for  a  trifling  hound  because  he  is  pore, 
and  I'll  bear  it  in  mind,  I  bet  you.  As  for  my 
roof,  it's  a  heap  better' n  the  one  them  Grays 
will  have  to  cover  them  in  a  week  from  now  ; 
you  hear  me  ?  That  big  house  of  theirn  will 
burn  like  a  bresh-heap." 

"  Well,  take  care  of  yourself,"  answered  the 
captain.  "  But  if  I'd  suspicioned  you  was 
going  to  fly  mad  about  it,  I  wouldn't  'a'  spoke 
a  word  to  you." 

"  Kelsey  will  never  carry  out  his  threat," 
said  Colonel  Shelby,  as  tlie  two  rode  away  from 
the  cabin.     "  He  is  too  big  a  coward." 

"  I  know  that  mighty  well,  but  you  can  say 
that  you  heard  him  speak  them  very  words, 
can't  you?" 

Captain  Beardsley  was  very  lively  and  talka- 
tive after  that,  and  plumed  himself  on  having 
done  a  neat  stroke  of  work  that  would  turn 
suspicion  from  himself,  when  the  results  of  a 
certain  other  plan  he  had  in  his  head  should 


marcy's  KAsn  WISH.  103 

become  known  in  the  settlement.  But  per- 
haps we  shall  see  that  he  forgot  one  very  im- 
portant thing.  As  to  the  colonel,  although  he 
api:)roved  the  work  that  was  to  be  clone,  he  had 
the  profoundest  contempt  for  the  man  who 
could  deliberately  plan  and  carry  it  out.  He 
had  little  to  say,  and  was  glad  Avlien  his  horse 
brought  him  to  a  bridle-path  that  would  take 
him  away  from  Beardsley  and  toward  his  own 
home. 

Meanwhile  Marcy  Gray  Avas  in  a  most  un- 
comfortable frame  of  mind.  When  he  saw  the 
visitors  ride  out  of  the  gate,  he  closed  the  door 
and  went  back  to  his  mother.  "The  captain 
never  spoke  of  meeting  you  and  Jack  at 
Crooked  Inlet,"  were  the  first  words  she  ut- 
tered, 

"  Of  course  not,"replied  Marcy.  "You  did 
not  expect  him  to,  did  youl  But  I  rather 
looked  for  him  to  give  some  reason  for  coming 
home,  and  to  hear  him  say  that  h«  would  have 
no  further  occasion  for  my  services ;  but  he 
was  so  disappointed  because  I  w^ould  not  take 
that  hush-money " 

"O  Marcy!"  exclaimed  his  mother.      "I 


104  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

was  afraid  that  that  was  what  the  money  was 
intended  for." 

"  That  was  just  it,  and  how  the  colonel  stared 
when  you  said  you  understood  the  object 
Beardsley  had  in  view  in  offering  it.  Those 
men  think  we  can  destroy  their  buildings  or 
protect  them,  just  as  we  please." 

"But,  Marcy,  we  cannot  do  it." 

"  Let  them  keep  on  thinking  so  if  they  want 
to.  And  another  reason  Beardsley  didn't  say 
all  he  meant  to  was  because  I  was  foolish  enough 
to  give  him  something  else  to  think  about.  I 
was  frightened  when  he  mentioned  Kelsey's 
name,  for  I  knew  in  an  instant  what  he  Avanted 
the  man  on  the  place  for,  and  1  showed  that  I 
was  frightened." 

"So  did  I,  Marcy,"  groaned  Mrs.  Gray. 
"So  did  I." 

"  Well,  it  can't  be  expected  that  a  woman 
will  be  on  the  watch  all  the  time,  but  I  ought 
to  have  had  better  sense.  I  gave  Beardsley 
good  reason  for  thinking  that  there  is  some- 
thing on  or  about  the  place  that  we  don't  want 
a  stranger  to  know  anything  about,  and  of 
course   he  believes   it  is  money.     But  don't 


marcy's  kasii  wish.  105 

you    worry.     We'll   come    out    all    right    in 
the  end." 

So  saying  Marcy  put  on  his  coat  and  cap, 
kissed  his  mother,  and  left  the  house  to  tell 
one  of  the  hands  to  put  the  saddle  on  his 
horse.  At  the  door  he  met  old  Morris,  who 
was  just  coming  in  with  the  mail.  He  saw  at 
a  glance  that  the  darky  was  frightened. 

"  Marse  Marcy,  dere's  going  be  great  doings 
'bout  dis  place,"  he  began. 

"  Never  mind.  I  can't  stop  to  hear  about  it 
now,  for  I  am  in  a  hurry.  Give  those  papers 
and  letters  to  one  of  the  girls,  and  let  her  carry 
them  in.  I  wouldn't  have  you  go  into  my 
mother's  presence  with  that  face  of  yours  for 
anything.  Say  nothing  to  nobody,  and  I  will 
see  you  again  as  I  can  go  to  the  quarter  and 
back." 

From  his  earliest  boyhood  Marcy  had  always 
been  glad  to  go  among  the  field  hands  when 
he  was  troubled,  for  they  were  so  full  of  fun, 
and  had  so  many  quaint  and  amusing  things 
to  say  to  him  that  gloomy  thoughts  could  not 
long  keep  his  company  in  their  presence  ;  but 
it  was  not  so  this  time.     He  silenced  all  their 


106  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

laughter  by  the  very  first  words  he  spoke  to 
them.     All  the  able-bodied  men  among  them 
(and  Marcy  designated  them  by  name)  were  to 
start  for  Plymouth  before  daylight  the  next 
morning,  to  work  on  the  Confederate  fortifica- 
tions.    Some  of  them  rebelled  at  once,  and  de- 
clared that  they  wouldn't  stir    a  step,   but 
thought  better  of  it  when  Marcy  told  them 
that,  if  they  did  not  go  willingly,  they  would 
be  marched  down  by  a  squad  of  soldiers,  who 
would  not  hesitate  to  help  them  along  by  a 
prod  from  a  bayonet  if  they  showed  the  least 
disposition  to  lag  behind.     It  took  him  longer 
to  get  through  with  this  disagreeable  duty 
than  he  thought  it  would,  for  the  blacks  hung 
around  him,  and  clung  to  his  hands  as  though 
they  never  expected  to  see  him  again  ;  but  it 
was   accomplished  at  last,   and    then  Marcy 
turned  about,  and  rode  back  to  the  house  to 
interview  the  coachman.     He  found  him  wan- 
dering disconsolately  about  among  the  horses, 
too  dispirited  to  work.     The  two  went  out  in 
the  rain  together,  taking  care  to  keep  out  of 
sight  of    the  sitting-room  windows,  and  the 
faithful  old  darky  astonished  the  white  boy 


makcy's  PvASIi  wish.  107 

by  describing,  almost  word  for  Avord,  as  we 
have  told  it,  what  had  been  said  and  done  in 
Mrs.  Browfi's  cabin  that  morning  while  Tom 
Allison  and  Mark  Goodwin  w^ere  there.  He 
said  not  a  word  until  Morris  finished  his  story, 
and  then  he  inquired  : 

"  Where  did  yon  hear  all  this  ?  " 
"  Marse  Beardsley's  niggah  gal,  Nancy,  was 
dar,  and  beared  and  seen  it  all  wid  her  own 
eyes  and  ears,"  replied  Morris.  "  She  met  me 
on  de  road  when  T  was  coming  home  wid  de 
mule  and  de  mail,  and  done  told  me.  Is  dat  a 
fac'  'bout  de  money,  Marse  Marcy  ?  " 

The  boy  did  not  in  the  least  doubt  the  truth- 
fulness of  the  story.  He  knew  that  the  girl 
Nancy  looked  out  for  Mrs.  Brown's  comfort 
in  a  shiftless  sort  of  way;  that  long  association 
with  the  old  gossip  had  made  her  a  tolerable 
gossip  herself ;  and  that,  although  she  was 
often  sent  to  the  overseer  on  account  of  it,  she 
kept  on  talking  just  the  same.  Besides,  Nancy 
could  not  have  known  about  the  money  unless 
she  had  heard  somebody  speak  of  it.  And 
Mark  Goodwin  w^as  sure  it  was  concealed  in 
the  cellar  wall !    That  was  the  worst  j^iece  of 


108  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

news  Marcy  Gray  had  ever  listened  to.  He 
stood  for  some  minutes  looking  down  at  the 
ground  in  deep  study,  and  then  he  seized  the 
black  man's  arm  and  drew  him  closer  to  him. 
He  gave  him  some  rapid  whispered  instruc- 
tions, old  Morris  now  and  then  nodding,  as  if 
to  show  that  he  understood  them  perfectly, 
and  then  they  shook  hands,  as  two  brothers 
might  have  done,  and  separated. 

At  daylight  the  next  morning  there  was  not 
a  single  able-bodied  black  man  to  be  seen  on 
Mrs.  Gray's  plantation,  if  we  except  the  few 
who  found  employment  about  the  house,  the 
working  party  having  left  hours  before. 
Marcy  saw  them  from  his  window  as  they 
marched  out  of  the  gate  with  their  bundles  on 
their  backs,  but  he  did  not  go  down  to  speak 
to  them.  He  had  taken  leave  of  them  once, 
and  had  no  desire  to  go  through  the  same  or- 
deal again.  He  rode  into  Nashville  that  morn- 
ing, as  he  did  every  other  morning  for  the 
next  two  weeks,  but  the  only  news  he  heard 
related  to  the  fortifications  at  Roanoke  Island, 
which  grew  in  size  and  strength  every  day, 
and  were  to  be  held  at  all  hazards.     He  thought 


marcy's  eash  wish.  109 

it  strange  that  he  did  not  see  Aleck  Webster, 
but,  of  course,  he  dared  not  ask  after  him. 
He  saw  Allison,  and  Goodwin,  and  others  of 
that  stamp,  who  went  out  of  their  way  to  pro- 
fess friendship  for  him ;  but  Marcy  never 
lingered  long  in  their  comj)any  until  one  day 
when  they  followed  him  to  the  hitching-rack, 
after  he  had  secured  his  mail,  to  warn  him 
that  he  had  better  have  an  eye  on  that  man 
Kelsey,  Avho  meant  harm  to  him. 

"What  does  he  think  he  has  against  me  ?" 
was  the  first  question  Marcy  asked.  "  Doesn't 
he  want  me  to  feed  him  any  more  ?  " 

"He  doesn't  want  grub  so  much  as  he 
wants  work,"  replied  Goodwin.  "And  you 
wouldn't  hire  him  to  take  Hanson's  place." 

"Hadn't  we  a  right  to  say  who  shall  work 
for  us  and  who  shall  not  1 "  demanded  Marcy. 
"  But  we  don't  need  anybody.  I  am  going  to 
act  as  my  mother's  overseer  ;  that  is,  if  I  ever 
have  any  hands  to  oversee," 

"  But  Kelsey  doesn't  like  to  be  called  alazy, 
trifling  hound  ;  and  you  wouldn't  like  it 
either,"  said  Allison. 

"I  never   called  him  that.     I  simply  said 


110  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

that  I  would  let  the  fields  grow  up  to  briars 
before  I  would  have  him  on  the  place,  and  I 
say  so  yet.  Let  him  enlist,  if  he  wants  some- 
thing to  do." 

"  But  he  can't  enlist.  The  doctors  wouldn't 
pass  him." 

"  Has  he  tried  them  ?  " 

"  What  would  be  the  use?  Can't  you  see 
for  yourself  how  he  is  bent  almost  double  with 
rheumatism  ? " 

"  I  can  see  how  he  bends  over  because  he  is 
too  lazy  to  straighten  up,  but  I  never  heard 
that  he  had  rheumatism.  AVhat  is  he  going 
to  do  to  me  ? ' ' 

"  He  has  threatened  to  burn  you  out." 

"I  expect  to  be  burned  out,  but  not  by  that 
man  Kelsey.  Now  mind  what  I  say,  you  two. 
When  that  thing  happens  you  will  see  some 
disai)pointed  men  and  boys  right  here  in  this 
settlement,  and  our  house  will  be  in  good  com- 
pany when  it  burns.     Good-morning." 

"Hold  on!"  exclaimed  Mark.  "Don't  go 
off  mad.     What  do  you  mean?" 

"  I  mean  what  I  say,"  answered  Marcj^,  who 
wanted  to  say  more,  but  thought  it  would  not 


map.cy's  rash  wish.  111 

be  prudent.  "And  there  is  no  need  that  I 
should  enter  into  explanations  with  you  and 
Tom  Allison." 

Marcy  rode  away,  wondering  if  he  had  done 
wrong  in  letting  those  young  rebels  see  that 
he  was  so  well  posted.  If  he  had  made  a  mis- 
take in  speaking  so  plainly  it  was  too  late  to 
mourn  over  it  now.  He  wished  he  might  have 
opportunity  to  exchange  a  few  words  with 
Aleck  Webster,  and  sometimes,  during  the 
week  that  followed,  he  was  strongly  tempted 
to  ride  by  his  house  in  the  hope  of  seeing  him 
there  ;  but  prudence  always  interposed  in 
time  to  keep  him  from  doing  anything  so  rash. 
Then  he  waited  and  hoped  for  a  sign  from 
some  of  the  other  members  of  the  band ;  but, 
although  he  was  sure  that  he  met  and  spoke 
to  them  every  day  in  the  post-office,  they  said 
no  word  to  him  that  could  not  have  been  ut- 
tered in  the  presence  of  a  third  party,  nor  did 
they  give  him  a  chance  to  speak  to  them  in 
private.  Marcy  told  himself  that  it  was  little 
short  of  maddening  to  live  in  this  way — to 
know  that  there  were  enemies  all  about  him 
and  not  a  single  old-time  friend  of  his  family 


112  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

to  whom  he  could  go  for  advice  or  comfort. 
The  state  of  suspense  he  was  in  day  and  night 
was  hard  to  bear,  and  Marcy  was  almost  ready 
to  do  some  desperate  deed  to  bring  it  to  an 
end. 

A  few  days  more  passed  and  once  more  Colo- 
nel Shelby  and  Captain  Beardsley  came  to 
visit  the  family.  This  was  nothing  unusual, 
for  they  and  others  often  came  now  to  keep  up 
an  appearance  of  friendship,  and  to  inquire  if 
there  was  any  way  in  which  they  could  be  of 
assistance  to  Mrs.  Graj^  They  stayed  an  hour, 
and  when  they  went  away,  and  Marcy  and  his 
mother  reviewed  the  conversation  that  had 
taken  pkice  during  the  visit,  to  see  if  they  had 
been  entrapped  into  saying  anything  they 
ought  not  to  have  said,  the  only  news  they  re- 
membered to  have  heard  was  that  Shelby  and 
Beardsle}^  and  some  others  whose  names  they 
mentioned,  were  going  down  to  the  Island  to 
inspect  the  works,  and  see  how  their  hands 
were  getting  along  under  their  military  over- 
seers. They  would  probably  be  gone  three  or 
four  days,  and  if  Marcy  or  his  mother  desired 
to  send  a  word  of  remembrance  to  any  faith- 


marcy's  rash  wish.  113 

ful  old  servant,  they  should  be  pleased  to 
take  it. 

"I  am  getting  heartily  tired  of  visits  of  this 
sort,"  said  Marcy.  "  I  wish  they  would  keep 
away,  and  let  us  alone,  for  I  don't  care  to  talk 
to  men  I  have  to  watch  all  the  time.  I  am 
afraid  there  is  something  back  of  these  friendly 
calls." 

There  was  something  back  of  this  one  at 
any  rate — something  that  was  very  like  a  trag- 
edy ;  and  the  first  act  was  performed  that 
night  a  little  after  dark.  Marcy  was  just 
rising  from  a  late  supper,  when  the  sound  of 
hoofs  was  heard  on  the  carriage-way,  and  Bose 
challenged  with  all  his  might.  When  Marcy 
opened  the  door  he  saw  the  horseman  bending 
down  from  his  saddle,*  and  waving  his  hand 
at  the  dog  as  if  he  were  trying  to  quiet  him. 
He  was  so  far  away  that  Marcy  could  not  see 
who  he  was,  although  the  light  from  the  hall 
lamj)  streamed  brightly  out  into  the  darkness. 
When  he  heard  the  boy's  step  upon  the  porch 
the  man  straightened  up,  but  did  not  offer  to 
come  any  nearer. 

"What  is  wanted  ?  "  demanded  Marcy. 


114  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"Does  this  yere  road  lead  to  Nashville?" 
asked  a  hoarse,  gruff  voice  that  Marcy  had 
never  heard  before. 

"The  one  outside  the  gate  leads  to  Nash- 
ville, but  the  one  you  are  on  leads  up  to  this 
door,"  ansvi^ered  the  boy,  who,  for  some  reason - 
or  other,  began  to  feel  uneasy. 

"  You  aint  overly  civil  to  strangers  in  these 
parts,  seems  like,"  said  the  man,  "I've  been 
out  lookin'  for  niggers  to  work  on  the  forts, 
an'  got  lost,  if  it  will  do  you  any  good  to  know 
it,"  And,  with  the  Avords,  he  turned  his  horse 
about,  and  galloped  out  of  the  yard. 

It  was  a  very  simple  incident — one  that  was 
likely  to  hapj^en  at  any  time — but  all  that 
evening  Marcy  could  not  get  it  out  of  his  mind. 
He  could  not  read,  either,  and  did  not  want 
to  talk,  so  he  went  to  bed  at  an  early  hour ; 
but  before  he  did  so,  he  made  the  rounds  of 
the  house  with  a  lighted  lantern  in  his  hand. 
Bose  was  in  his  usual  place  on  the  rug  in  front 
of  the  door,  and  so  fast  asleep  that  he  did  not 
move  when  his  master  stepped  over  him,  and 
the  doors  and  windows  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  house,  as  well  as  those  in  the  cellar,  were 


makcy's  rash  wish.  115 

closed  and  fastened,  and,  having  satisfied  him- 
self on  these  points,  Marcy  bade  his  mother 
good-night,  and  went  to  his  room.  But  he  did 
not  close  his  door.  He  took  pains  to  leave  it 
wide  open,  and  called  himself  foolish  for  doing 
it. 

"  I  am  getting  to  be  afraid  of  the  dark,"  was 
what  he  thought,  as  he  turned  down  his  lamp 
and  tumbled  into  bed.  "  There  isn't  a  darky 
on  the  plantation  who  hates  to  have  night 
come  as  bad  as  I  do,  and  I  don't  know  that 
there  is  anything  surprising  in  it.  If  there  is 
danger  hanging  over  this  house,  I  wish  it 
would  drop,  and  have  done  with  it." 

Marcy  went  to  sleep  with  this  rash  wish 
half  formed  in  his  mind. 


CHAPTER  YI. 

THE    WISH    GRATIFIED. 

MARCY  GRAY  slept  like  a  boy  who  liad 
eaten  lieartily  of  mince  pie  for  supper, 
that  is,  uneasily.  But  still  he  must  have  slum- 
bered soundly  or  he  would  have  heard  the 
faint  scream  and  the  hoarse,  muffled  voice 
that  came  up  from  his  mother's  room  shortly 
after  midnight,  or  been  awakened  by  the  swift 
rush  of  the  two  figures  who  hastened  u^d  the 
stairs  and  through  the  wide-open  door  into 
his  room.  The  figures  were  there,  but  the 
first  Marcy  knew  of  it  was  when  one  turned 
up  the  lamp  and  the  other  laid  a  heavy  hand 
upon  his  shoulder.  Then  he  opened  his  eyes 
and  tried  to  sit  up,  but  was  pressed  back  upon 
his  pillow  at  the  same  instant  that  the  cold, 
sharp  muzzle  of  a  revolver  was  put  against 
his  head. 

"Keep  still  now,  you  pore  white  trash,  and 

116 


THE    WISH   GRATIFIED.  117 

you  is  all  right,"  said  the  man  who  held  the 
revolver.  '"Make  a  noise,  and  you  is  all 
wrong,  kase  you'll  be  dead  quick's  a  cat  can 
bat  her  eye.     You  lieali  me?     Git  up  !  " 

Any  sense  of  fear  that  might  have  come 
upon  Marcy  Gray,  if  he  had  been  given  time  to 
think  twice,  was  lost  in  profound  astonish- 
ment. The  man  talked  like  a  negro  ;  but  in 
those  days  negroes  were  not  given  to  doing- 
desperate  deeds  of  this  sort.  Hardly  realizing 
what  he  was  doing,  Marcy  threw  off  the  bed- 
clothes and  sat  up  ;  and  as  he  did  so,  the  man 
who  had  turned  up  the  lamp  snatched  the  pil- 
lows from  the  bed  and  took  possession  of  the 
brace  of  revolvers  he  found  under  them. 
Marcy  looked  at  the  pillows  that  were  flung 
upon  the  floor,  and  saw  that  there  were  dark 
stains  on  both  of  them.  He  took  short, 
searching  glances  at  the  two  men,  and  saw  the 
white  showing  through  the  black  on  their 
faces.  By  this  time  he  was  wide  awake,  and 
trying  to  nerve  himself  for  the  ordeal  he  saw 
before  him. 

"Git  up  an'  climb  into  them  dry-goods  of 
yourn"  commanded  the  robber,  standing  first 


118  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

upon  one  foot  and  then  on  the  other,  and 
swaying  about  after  the  manner  of  a  field 
hand  who  had  suddenly  found  himself  in  an 
embarrassing  situation.  "  Git  into  'em  lively. 
I  tol'  you,  chile.  I  is  de  oberseer  now,  an'  you 
is  de  niggah.     Hustle 'era  on." 

"How  do  you  expect  me  to  dress  rapidly 
with  only  one  hand  to  work  with  ? "  demanded 
Marcy,  who  was  not  frightened  out  of  his 
senses,  even  if  he  was  powerless.  "You  must 
give  me  a  little  time." 

"  Well  den,  what  for  you  go  in  the  wall  an' 
fight  the  Yankees  what  want  to  give  us  pore 
niggahs  our  freedom?"  said  the  robber, 
' '  You  done  got  your  arm  broke,  an'  it  serves 
you  jes  right.  Wisht  it  had  been  your 
head." 

Marcy  dressed  in  much  less  time  than  he 
generally  did,  and  when  he  had  thrown  his 
coat  over  his  shoulders  and  slipped  his  well 
arm  into  one  of  the  sleeves,  he  was  ready  to 
follow  the  robbers  downstairs  and  into  the 
cellar;  for  he  thought  that  was  where  he 
would  have  to  go  sooner  or  later.  He  drew  a 
long  breath  of  relief  when  he  was  conducted 


THE  WISH   GRATIFIED.  119 

into  tlie  sitting-room,  where  liis  mother  was 
waiting  for  him  guarded  by  two  more  robbers, 
whose  hands  and  faces  were  covered  with 
something  that  looked  like  shoe-blacking. 
Although  she  was  pale  she  did  not  appear  to 
be  badly  frightened,  for  she  smiled  pleasantly 
as  the  boy  seated  himself  on  the  sofa  by  her 
side,  and  said : 

"I  hope  they  did  not  handle  you  very 
roughly,  Marcy." 

"  Oh,  no  ;  they  didn't  put  a  hand  on  me." 

"  An'  what's  more,  missus,  we  aint  going  to, 
if  you  do  jes  like  we  tell  you,"  said  the  rob- 
ber who  had  thus  far  done  the  talking. 
"You  white  folks  is  rich,  an'  we  black  ones  is 
pore.  You've  got  money,  an'  we  aint  got 
none." 

"And  you  want  us  to  give  you  some,  I  sup- 
pose," added  Marcy,  putting  his  hand  into  his 
pocket  and  drawing  forth  the  small  buck- 
skin purse  in  which  he  carried  his  change. 
"There's  my  pile.  How  much  have  you, 
mother  ? " 

"Look  a-here  !  "  exclaimed  the  man,  for- 
getting himself  in  his  rage  and  speaking  in  his 


120  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ordinary  tone  of  voice.  "That  won't  go  down. 
You've  got  more,  an'  we  know  it ;  an'  if  you 
don't  trot  it  out  without  no  more  of  this  fool- 
ishness  " 

"So  far  as  I  l^now,  these  purses  contain 
every  cent  of  money  there  is  in  the  house  or 
about  it,"  interrupted  Marcy,  taking  both  the 
articles  in  question  in  his  hand  and  extending 
them  toward  the  robber.  "The  darkies  may 
have  some,  but  if  they  have  I  don't  know  it." 

With  a  muttered  curse  the  man  hit  Marcy' s 
hand  a  heavy  blow  and  sent  the  purses  flying 
to  the  farthest  corner  of  the  room.  He  ex- 
pended so  much  strength  in  the  blow  that  he 
almost  pulled  the  boy  from  his  seat  on  the 
sofa,  and  drew  an  involuntary  exclamation  of 
surprise  and  indignation  from  his  mother. 

"Look  a-liere,  ole  woman  !  You'll  say  'Oh, 
my  dear  boy ! '  a  good  many  times  afore  we 
uns  is  done  with  you  if  you  don't  trot  out  that 
money,"  declared  the  robber,  in  savage  tones. 
"We  know  jes  what  we're  doing,  an'  you 
might  as  well  give  in  without  wasting  no  more 
time  over  it.  Where  is  it  ?  I  ask  you  for  the 
last  time." 


THE   WISH   GRATIFIED.  121 

"It  is  in  those  purses,"  replied  Marcy.  "If 
yoQ  want  it,  go  and  pick  them  up.  You 
knocked  them  there." 

"We'll  take  some  of  that  there  sass  out  of 
you  in  two  minutes  by  the  watch,"  snarled  the 
robber,  glancing  up  at  the  heavy  chandelier 
which  depended  from  the  center  of  the  high 
ceiling.  "Where's  that  rope,  Jim?  Do  you 
reckon  that  there  thing  will  pull  out  or  not  ? " 

"What  are  you  ruffians  going  to  do?" 
gasped  Mrs.  Gray,  when  she  saw  the  man  Jim 
pull  a  rope  from  his  pocket. 

"We're  going  to  see  if  we  can  choke  some 
sense  into  this  boy  of  yourn,"  was  the  an- 
swer. "If  you  don't  want  to  see  him  hung 
up  afore  your  face  an'  eyes,  make  him  tell 
where  that  money  is.  We  uns  have  got  to 
have  it  afore  you  see  the  last  of  us." 

Mrs.  Gray  turned  an  appealing  look  niDon 
Marcy,  who  said  stoutly  : 

"  I  told  nothing  but  the  truth  when  I  said 
that  there  is  no  money  in  the  house  except  the 
little  in  those  purses.  Why  don't  you  men 
look  around  and  satisfy  yourselves  of  the 
fact?" 


122  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"We  aint  got  time,  an'  more'n  that,  we've 
knocked  off  work  for  the  night.  Throw  one 
end  of  the  rope  over  that  thing  up  there,  an' 
make  a  running  noose  in  the  other.  I  said  I 
wouldn't  ask  him  agin,  an'  I  meant  every  word 
of  it." 

Things  began  to  look  serious,  and  the  reso- 
lute expression  on  Marcy's  pale  face  showed 
that  he  understood  the  situation.  His  mother 
knew  he  told  the  truth — that  he  had  secretly 
removed  her  treasure  to  another  hiding-place, 
and  she  longed  to  throw  herself  upon  his 
neck  and  beg  him  to  tell  what  he  had  done 
with  it.  But  she  did  not  do  it,  for  that  Avould 
only  have  made  matters  worse.  It  would  have 
encouraged  the  robbers  and  disheartened  the 
boy,  who  was  so  calmly  watching  the  prepara- 
tions that  were  being  made  to  pull  him  up  by 
the  neck.  He  knew  that  the  men  were  work- 
ing on  a  supposition ;  that  they  had  no  posi- 
tive proof  that  there  was  money  in  the  house  ; 
and  hoped  that  they  would  soon  weary  of  their 
useless  demands,  or  that  something  would 
frighten  them  away.  But  he  was  obliged  to 
confess  to  himself  that  neither  contingency 


THE    WISH   Gr.ATIFIED.  123 

seemed  likely  to  lia|3pen.  The  robbers  acted 
as  though  they  were  in  earnest,  and  there  was 
nothing  to  interfere  with  their  work.  None  of 
the  servants  had  showed  themselves,  and  even 
Julius  and  Bose,  who  never  failed  to  be  on 
hand  when  there  was  anything  unusual  going 
on,  had  not  once  been  seen  or  heard.  The 
house  was  as  silent  as  if  it  had  been  deserted. 
After  a  few  unsuccessful  attempts  the  man 
Jim  managed  to  throw  the  rope  over  one  of 
the  branches  of  the  chandelier  at  the  same 
time  that  a  second  robber  finished  the  work  of 
putting  a  running  noose  on  the  other  end. 

"Now  I  reckon  we're  about  ready  for  busi- 
ness," said  the  leader  grimly.  "Mebbe 
you'd  best  bear  down  on  it  first,  Jim,  to  see  if 
the  thing  will  hold  you  up.'' 

Jim's  prompt  obedience  came  near  costing 
him  his  life.  Seizing  the  rope  witli  both  hands 
he  jerked  liis  knees  up  toward  his  chin  and 
swung  himself  clear  of  the  floor  ;  whereupon 
the  hook  which  held  the  chandelier,  and 
which  was  not  intended  to  support  so  heavy  a 
weight,  was  torn  from  its  socket  and  the  pon- 
derous fixture  came  down  ujion  the  head  of  the 


124  MARCY,  THE  eefugep:. 

robber,  crusliing  liim,  bleeding  and  senseless,  to 
the  floor.  But  the  room  was  not  left  in  dark- 
ness, as  Marcy  wished  it  had  been  ;  for  the 
single  lamp  that  lighted  it  was  on  a  side  table, 
safely  out  of  the  way.  Every  one  in  the 
room  was  struck  motionless  and  speechless 
with  amazement  and  alarm,  and  if  Marcy  Gray 
had  only  had  two  good  hands  to  use,  the  dis- 
aster to  the  robber  band  would  have  been 
greater  than  it  was.  Their  leader  was  so 
nearly  paralyzed  with  astonishment  that  a 
quick,  dexterous  fellow,  such  as  Marcy  usually 
was,  could  have  prostrated  and  disarmed  him 
with  very  little  trouble  ;  but  under  the  circum- 
stances it  would  have  been  foolhardy  to  at- 
tempt it. 

As  was  to  have  been  expected,  Mrs.  Gray  was 
the  first  to  recover  herself  and  the  first  to  act. 
In  less  than  two  seconds  after  the  robber  struck 
the  floor  she  was  by  his  side,  trying  with  both 
hands  to  remove  the  chandelier  from  his  pros- 
trate form.  The  sight  brought  Marcy  to  his 
senses. 

"  Are  you  lubbers  going  to  stand  there  and 
let  the  man  die  before  your  eyes  ?  "  he  shouted. 


THE   WISH   GKATIFIED.  125 

"Why  don't  you  bear  a  hand  and  get  him 
out?" 

These  words  proved  to  be  almost  as  magical 
as  the  "whistle  shrill"  with  which  Roderick 
Dhu  was  wont  to  summon  his  Highland  clan. 
Before  they  had  fairly  left  Marcy's  lips  the 
boy  Julius  danced  into  the  room  through  the 
door  that  led  into  the  hall,  shouting  at  the  top 
of  his  voice  : 

"Here   dey  is  !     Here   dey  is!     Shoot " 

Then  he  stopped  stock  still,  and  rolled  the 
whites  of  his  eyes  toward  the  wreck  in  the 
middle  of  the  floor — the  shattered  lamps,  the 
broken  chandelier  with  the  robber's  legs  stick- 
ing out  from  under  it — and  finished  by  say- 
ing, "  Dere's  a  muss  for  de  gals  to  clean  up  in 
de  mawnin.     Why  don't  you  shoot 'em  ?  " 

Almost  at  the  same  instant  the  doorway  be- 
hind the  prancing  darky  was  filled  by  armed 
and  masked  men,  who  filed  rapidly  into  the 
apartment,  turning  right  and  left  along  the 
wall  to  give  their  companions  in  the  rear  room 
to  follow  them.  Not  a  word  Avas  said  or  a 
thing  done  until  a  dozen  or  more  had  entered, 
and  then  the  robbers  were  disarmed,  without 


126  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

the  least  show  of  resistance  on  their  part,  and 
the  heavy  chandelier  was  lifted  off  their  in- 
jured and  still  senseless  comrade.  It  was  all 
done  in  less  than  two  minutes,  and  the  res- 
cuers were  about  to  pass  out,  as  quickly  and 
silently  as  they  came,  taking  the  robbers  with 
them,  when  Mrs.  Gray  said  : 

"Will  you  not  tell  us  who  you  are,  so  that 
we  may  know  whom  to  thank  for  the  inesti- 
mable service  you  have  rendered  us?  " 

"We  are  friends,"  replied  a  voice  that  was 
plainly  disguised. 

"  We  know  it ;  and  if  that  is  all  you  care  to 
have  us  know,  of  course  we  shall  have  to  be 
satisfied  with  it,"  saidMarcy,  who  had  received 
a  slight  nod  from  one  of  the  masked  men, 
whom  he  took  to  be  Aleck  Webster.  "But 
it's  mighty  poor  consolation  not  to  be  able  to 
call  our  friends  by  name.  I  Avisli  you  would 
do  me  another  friendly  act  by  going  through 
that  wounded  robber's  pockets  and  getting  my 
revolvers  back  for  me.  They  jumped  on  to 
me  and  took  them  away  before  I  was  fairly 
awake." 

This  request  was  quickly  and  silently  com- 


THE   WISH   GRATIFIED.  127 

plied  with,  and  then  the  masked  men  started 
out  again,  taking  the  four  would-be  robbers 
with  them.  Mrs.  Gray  wanted  much  to  ask 
what  they  intended  to  do  with  the  prisoners, 
but  a  look  and  a  few  words  from  Marcy  checked 
her. 

"Let  us  show  our  gratitude  by  respecting 
their  wishes  and  asking  no  questions,"  said  he 
earnestly.  "They  have  saved  me  from  a  chok- 
ing, and  if  they  ever  want  anything  I  can  give 
them,  I  know  they  will  not  hesitate  to  let  me 
know  it.  Good-night,  friends,  if  you  will  not 
tell  us  what  else  to  call  you." 

A  dozen  voices,  which  sounded  strange  and 
hollow  under  the  thick  white  masks  that  cov- 
ered the  faces  of  the  rescuers,  responded 
"good-night,"  and  Marcy,  filled  with  grati- 
tude for  his  deliverance,  stood  on  the  porch  at 
the  side  door  and  saw  them  disappear  down 
the  lane  that  led  through  the  almost  deserted 
negro  quarter.  Then  he  walked  around  to  the 
front  door  to  see  what  had  become  of  Bose,  and 
discovered  him  curled  up  in  his  usual  place  on 
the  mat. 

"You    rascal!"     he    exclaimed.     "What 


]28  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

do  you  mean  by  lying  here  fast  asleep, 
while " 

Marcy's  impulse  was  to  kick  the  dog  off  the 
mat  in  the  first  place  and  off  the  porch  in  the 
second  ;  but  remembering  how  faithfully  the 
devoted  animal  had  served  him  in  the  past  and 
that  this  was  his  first  offence,  he  bent  over  and 
grasped  him  by  the  neck,  only  to  let  go  his 
hold  the  very  next  instant.  Bose  was  stiff  and 
cold — as  dead  as  a  door  nail. 

"Poisoned!"  ejaculated  Marcy.  "And  to 
think  that  I  was  on  the  jDoint  of  kicking  the 
poor  beast !  I  deserve  to  be  kicked  myself  for 
doubting  him.  The  chap  who  rode  into  the 
yard  to-night  to  inquire  the  way  to  Nashville 
is  the  villain  who  is  to  blame  for  this.  He  is 
the  fellow  who  captained  the  robbers  to-night, 
and  no  doubt  he  was  feeding  Bose  something, 
when  I  thought  he  was  trying  to  quiet  him. 
Poor  old  Bose  !  " 

The  boy's  heart  was  heavy  as  he  faced  about 
and  went  into  the  house,  where  he  found  his 
mother  pacing  the  fioor,  more  frightened  and 
agitated  now  than  she  had  been  at  any  time 
while  ill  the  presence  of  the  robbers.     She  laid 


THE   WISH   GRATIFIED.  129 

her  head  on  Marcy's  shoulder,  and  cried  softly 
as  he  put  his  arm  around  her  and  led  her  to  a 
seat. 

"  What's  the  good  of  taking  on  so  now  that 
the  trouble  is  ail  over  ?  "  said  he.  "  But  that's 
always  the  way  with  a  woman.  She  will  stand 
up  to  the  rack  when  there  is  need  of  it,  and  cry 
when  there  is  nothing  to  cry  for.  What's  the 
use  of  doing  that  ? " 

"Marcy,"  said  his  mother,  "did  I  not  tell 
you  to  let  that  money  alone  ?  " 

"  No,  ma'am  ;  you  said  you  were  afraid  that 
if  I  tried  to  take  it  to  a  new  place  some  one 
would  catch  me  at  it ;  but  I  wasn'  t  afraid.  I 
was  sure  I  could  do  it  without  being  seen,  I 
knew  you  would  sleep  better  if  it  was  i)ut 
somewliere  else,  and  so,  while  you  and  every 
one  on  the  plantation,  except  the  man  who  was 
helping  me,  were  in  the  land  of  Nod,  I  took 
the  bags  out  of  the  cellar  wall  and  put  them 
where  nobody  will  ever  think  of  looking  for 
them.  Whenever  you  want  any  of  it  say  the 
word,  and  I  will  see  that  you  get  it ;  and  in 
the  meantime,  if  you  are  asked  where  it  is,  you 
can  truthfully  say  that  you  don't  know." 
9 


130  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"But,  Marcy,  the  events  of  the  night,  which 
seem  more  like  a  terrible  dream  than  a  reality, 
prove  conclusively  that  the  story  has  got 
abroad  ;  and  I  don't  see  how  I  can  muster  up 
the  courage  to  pass  another  night  in  this 
house,"  said  Mrs.  Gray  with  a  shudder. 
"How  could  they  have  got  in  without  alarm- 
ing Bose?" 

"  Poor  old  Bose  will  never  act  as  our  sentry 
again,"  replied  the  boy,  with  tears  of  genuine 
sorrow  in  his  eyes  ;  and  then  he  went  on  to 
tell  how  he  had  found  the  companion  and 
friend  of  his  childhood  dead  at  bis  post,  and 
his  mother  said  that  she  would  willingly  sur- 
render the  money,  that  had  been  nothing  but 
a  source  of  trouble  to  her  ever  since  she  drew 
it  from  the  bank,  if  by  so  doing  she  could 
bring  Bose  back  to  life  again. 

"  What  bothers  me  quite  as  much  as  his 
death  is  the  thought  that  I  wanted  to  hurt 
him  because  he  did  not  awaken  me,"  said 
Marcy.  "And  one  thing  I  should  like  to 
have  explained  is  how  those  masked  men 
happened  to  be  on  the  watch  on  this  particular 
night,  and  get  here  as  they  did  just  in  the  nick 


THE   WISH   GRATIFIED.  131 

of  time.  I  tell  yon,  mother,  I  was  glad  to  see 
the  chandelier  knock  that  villain  endways, 
and  if  I  could  have  snatched  the  weapon  the 
robber  captain  had  in  his  hand,  I  would  have 
made  a  scattering  among  them." 

"  I  don't  suppose  you  have  any  idea  who  the 
robbers  were  ? ' ' 

"  I  am  sure  I  never  saw  one  of  them  before. 
I  didn't  pay  much  attention  to  their  voices, 
for  I  knew  they  would  not  betray  themselves 
by  talking  in  their  natural  tones,  but  I  took 
notice  of  the  way  they  acted  and  carried  them- 
selves, and  was  obliged  to  put  them  down  as 
strangers.     They  do  not  belong  about  here." 

"Marcy,  you  frighten  me!"  cried  Mrs. 
Gray.  "You  surely  do  not  wish  me  to  think 
that  some  of  our  neighbors  brought  them  here 
to  rob  us  ?  " 

"That  is  what  I  think  myself,  and  there 
is  no  use  in  denj'ing  it.  Didn't  Shelby  and 
Beardsley  take  particular  pains  to  tell  us  that 
they  would  be  away  from  home  to-night  ? 
Hallo,  there  ! "  exclaimed  Marcy,  who  just 
then  caught  sight  of  the  boj^  Julius  standing 
in  a  remote  corner,  pulling  his  under  lip  and 


132  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

gazing  ruefully  at  the  ruins  of  the  chandelier. 
"What  do  you  mean  by  keeping  so  quiet 
when  you  know  that  I  want  to  have  some 
serious  talk  with  you  ?     Come  here,  sir." 

Julius  had  learned  by  experience  that  when 
he  was  addressed  in  this  style  he  was  to  be 
taken  to  task  for  something,  i)robably  for  lying 
or  stealing.  He  could  not  remember  that  he 
had  been  guilty  of  telling  lies  very  lately,  but 
as  for  picking  up  things  he  had  no  business  to 
touch — that  was  a  different  matter.  When 
Julius  was  certain  that  he  knew  what  the 
offence  was  for  which  he  was  to  be  repri- 
manded, he  always  tried  to  make  it  lighter  by 
offering  some  sort  of  a  confession  ;  and  he  did 
so  in  this  instance. 

"I  know  I  aint  going  steal  it,  Marse 
Marcy,"  he  began,  putting  his  hand  into  his 
pocket.  "I  jes  want  look  at  it  and  den  I 
going  give  it  back." 

"  So  you've  got  it,  have  you  ?  "  said  Marcy, 
who  had  not  the  slightest  idea  what  the  black 
boy  meant.  "  I  knew  Fd  find  it  out  sooner  or 
later.     Give  it  to  me,  sir  !  " 

The  boy  took  his  hand  out  of  his  pocket  and 


THE   WISH   GRATIFIED.  133 

placed  in  Marcy's  extended  palm  a  bright, 
new  fifty-dollar  gold  piece.  Mother  and  son 
looked  at  each  other  in  silent  amazement,  both 
being  startled  by  the  same  suspicion.  Cau- 
tious as  he  thought  he  had  been,  Marcy  had 
not  succeeded  in  removing  the  money  from 
the  cellar  to  a  new  hiding-place  without  being 
seen.     Julius  knew  all  about  it. 

"What  for  dey  make  all  dem  sharp  corners 
on  dar  ?  "  asked  the  boy,  pointing  to  the  gold 
piece.  "  What  for  dey  don't  make  'em  roun' 
like  all  de  res'?  " 

"Where  are  the  rest?"  demanded  Marcy. 
"Hand  them  out." 

Julius  obeyed,  but  this  time  he  produced  a 
twenty- dollar  piece. 

"  Go  on.     Pull  out  some  more,"  said  Marcy. 

"Dat's  all,"  replied  the  boy.  "When  de 
bag  bus'  you  and  ole  Morris  pick  up  all  but 
two,  and  dere  dey  is." 

Marcy  remembered  now,  although  he  might 
never  have  thought  of  it  again,  how  startled 
he  was  when  one  of  the  little  bags  in  which 
his  mother's  treasure  was  packed  became 
untied  in  his  hand,  and  the  gold  pieces  rattled 


134  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

down  upon  the  hard  floor  of  the  cellar.  The 
coachman,  who  was  working  with  him,  was 
prompt  to  extinguish  the  lantern,  while  Marcy 
alternately  groped  for  the  money  and  sat  up 
on  his  knees  and  listened  for  the  sound  of 
footsteps  on  the  floor  overhead.  It  seemed 
to  him  that  all  in  the  house  ought  to  have 
been  aroused  by  the  racket,  but  when  he  be- 
came satisfied  that  such  was  not  the  case,  the 
lantern  was  again  lighted  and  the  work  went 
on.  He  thought  he  had  picked  up  all  the 
pieces,  but  it  seemed  he  hadn't.  And  where 
was  the  boy  Julius  when  this  happened  ? 
That  was  a  point  that  could  be  cleared  up  at 
some  future  time  ;  but  just  now  Marcy  wanted 
to  talk  about  something  else, 

"Where  were  you  when  those  robbers  came 
into  the  house?"  he  inquired.  "Were  you 
in  bed  !  " 

"Oh,  no,  sar;  I  wasn't  in  bed,"  replied 
Julius. 

"Where  were  you  ? " 

"I  was  out  dar,"  said  the  boy,  giving  his 
head  a  circular  nod,  so  as  to  include  nearly  all 
the  points  of  the  compass  at  once. 


THE   WISH   GRATIFIED.  135 

"Out  where?" 

"  Jest  out  dar  in  de  bresli." 

"  Julius,"  said  Marcy,  getting  upon  his  feet, 
"  are  you  going  to  answer  me  or  not  ?  " 

"Oh,  yes  sar,"  exclaimed  the  boy,  backing 
off  a  step  or  two.  "  I  going  answer  ebery 
question  you  ax  me.  I  was  jest  out  in  de 
gyarden." 

"  What  were  you  doing  out  there  at  that 
time  of  night  ?" 

"Nuffin,  sar." 

"Did  you  see  the  robbers  come  into  the 
house  ? " 

"Yes,  sar  ;  I  done  seed  'em  come  in." 

"  Then  what  did  you  do  ?  " 

"  I  jest  went  'round  out  dar." 

"And  did  you  see  those  other  masked  men, 
who  came  in  and  rescued  us  from  the  power  of 
the  robbers  ? " 

"Yes,  sar,  I  seed  dem  too,"  replied  Julius, 
becoming  interested.  "  And  I  done  tol'  'em 
to  come  in  quick." 

"  Did  you  know  they  were  out  there  in  the 
garden?" 

"  Yes,  sar  ;  I  knowed  it." 


136  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

"  Who  told  you  they  were  there  ? " 

"Nobody." 

"Julius,"  said  Marcy  sternly,  "I  am  going 
to  know  all  about  this.  I  shall  give  you  no 
peace  until  you  answer  every  one  of  my  ques- 
tions, and  I  shall  begin  by  putting  a  grubbing- 
hoe  into  your  hands  at  daylight  in  the  morn- 
ing. Have  you  any  more  money  in  your 
pockets  ?" 

"  No,  sar ;  I  gib  you  de  lastest  I  got." 

"  Then  hurry  off  to  bed  and  be  ready  to  go 
to  work  when  I  call  you." 

"  Well,  sar,  Marse  Marcy,"  said  the  boy, 
plunging  his  hands  into  his  pockets  and  swing- 
ing himself  about  the  room  as  if  he  was  in  no 
particular  hurry  to  goto  bed,  "if  you  wuk 
Julius  till  he  plum  dead  you  can't  make  him 
tell  what  he  don't  know," 

At  this  juncture  a  new  actor  appeared  upon 
the  scene.  It  was  old  Morris,  who  had  been  in 
the  hall  for  the  last  five  minutes,  waiting  as 
patiently  as  he  could  for  Julius  to  give  him  an 
opportunity  to  speak  to  Marcy  and  his  mother 
in  private.  His  patience  was  j)retty  well  ex- 
hausted by  this  time,  and  when  he  saw  that 


THE   WISH    GRATIFIED,  137 

Julius  had  no  intention  of  going  away  until 
lie  got  ready,  the  coachman  stepped  into  the 
room. 

"  See  here,  niggah,"  he  began,  and  that  was 
enough.  Julius  knew  the  old  man,  and  when 
the  latter  pointed  to  the  door  he  lost  no  time 
in  going  out  of  it.  Morris  followed  him  to 
Lhe  end  of  the  hall  and  closed  and  locked  that 
door  behind  him,  and  then  came  back  to  the 
sitting-room.  lie  was  badly  frightened,  and  so 
excited  that  he  hardly  knew  what  he  was  doing, 
but  he  was  laughing  all  over. 

"  How  is  you,  missus  ?  "  said  he,  as  he  shut 
the  door  and  backed  up  against  it. 

"  Morris,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gray,  "do  you 
know  who  the  robbers  were  ?  " 

"No,  missus,  I  don't  ;  but  I  does  know  that 
they  don't  'long  around  in  dis  part  of  the  coun- 
try. That  Cap'n  Beardsley,  he  brung  'em  up 
from  Newbern." 

"Do  you  know  what  you  are  saying?  "  de- 
manded Marcy.  "  Who  told  you  that  im- 
probable story  1  " 

"G'long  now,  honey,"  answered  Morris 
good-naturedly.     "  Mebbe  de  niggahs  all  fools, 


138  MA  HOY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

but  they  know  a  heap.  Marse  Marcy,  dat  gal 
Nance  didn't  tell  no  lie  when  she  say  how  that 
Allison  and  Goodwin  boy  come  to  Miss  Brown's 
house  and  talk  about  de  money,  did  she  ? 
And  she  didn't  say  no  lie  nudder  when  she  tol' 
me  that  these  men  coming  up  here 'some  night 
to  get  that  money,  did  she  ?  Aint  they  done 
been  here  dis  night  ?  What  for  the  cap'n  and 
all  the  rest  of  dem  white  trash  gone  to  the 
Island  this  night?  Kase  they  don't  want  to 
be  here  when  the  thing  happen." 

"Did  you  know  that  the  robbers  were  to 
come  here  to-night  ?  " 

"  No,  sar,  Marse  Marcy,  I  didn't  know  that. 
I  know  they  was  coming  some  night." 

"Well,  some  one  must  have  known- that 
they  had  made  up  their  minds  to  come  to-night 
and  told  the  Union  men  to  be  on  the  watch  for 
them,"  said  Marcy. 

"That's  a  fac',"  assented  Morris. 

"Who  was  it?" 

"  I — I  don't  know,  sar  ;  'fore  the  Lawd " 

"Morris  !  "  said  Mrs.  Gray  reproachfully. 

"Yes,  missus;  I  does  know,  but  I  don't 
want  to  tell." 


THE  WISH   GRATIFIED.  139 

"That  is  more  like  it,"  said  Marcy. 
"  What  is  the  reason  you  don't  want  to  tell? " 

"  Kase  I  don't  want  to  get  nobody  in  trouble 
with  Cap'n  Beardsley,"  replied  the  coachman  ; 
and  he  might  as  well  have  told  the  full  par- 
ticulars, for  Marcy  and  his  mother  knew  that 
they  had  one  of  the  captain's  own  servants  to 
thank  for  their  rescue. 

"  And  does  Julius  know  all  these  things  ?  " 

'•Ye-yes,  sar,"  exclaimed  Morris,  becom- 
ing so  angry  that  he  could  not  talk  half  as  fast 
as  he  wanted  to.  "  Dat  niggali  all  the  time 
snooping  around,  and  you  nebber  know  when 
he  aint  hear  all  you  saying," 

"He  knows  that  you  and  I  removed  that 
money,"  said  Marcy.  "  He  was  somewhere 
about  when  that  bag  became  untied,  and  here 
are  two  pieces  that  he  picked  up  after  we  left 
the  cellar." 

Old  Morris  was  profoundly  astonished.  He 
leaned  heavily  against  the  door,  and  gazed  at 
the  glittering  coins  in  Marcy' s  hand  as  if  he 
had  been  deprived  of  the  power  of  speech. 


CHAPTER  yil. 

MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND. 

'  "yULIUS  also  knew  that  those  Union 
tJ  men — I  don't  know  any  other  name  to 
give  to  those  who  turned  the  tables  on  the  rob- 
bers— were  out  there  in  the  garden,  and  he 
told  them  to  hurry  up,"  continued  Marcy. 
"Now,  where  were  you  at  the  time?" 

"  Marse  Marcy,"  said  Morris,  recovering 
himself  with  an  effort,  "  you  had  best  sell  that 
niggah,  kase  if  you  don't  Ise  bound  to  kill 
him." 

"You  will  be  careful  not  to  touch  him," 
said  Mrs.  Gray.  "  It  is  not  your  place  to  dis- 
ciiDline  any  one." 

"  But,  missus,  you  don't  know  that  nig- 
gah," began  Morris. 

"We  know  that  he  was  brave  enough  to 
send  those  men  to  our  rescue,  while  you  were 
too  badly  frightened  to  do  anything  to  help 
us,"  said  Marcy. 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  141 

"I  couldn't  be  two  places,"  protested 
Morris.  "  I  was  in  the  stable  looking  out  for 
the  hosses.     There's  whar  I  belong." 

"Did  you  see  them  when  they  took  their 
prisoners  away?  And  was  that  poor  fellow 
who  was  knocked  down  by  the  chandelier  very 
badly  injured  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Gray. 

"Pore  fellow!"  repeated  the  coachman. 
"No,  he  wasn't  bad  hurt.  They  jest  chuck 
him  in  the  hoss  trough  and  he  come  back  to 
his  right  mind  mighty  quick." 

"  I  hope  they  did  not  abuse  him  ? " 

"JSTo,  missus  ;  dey  didn't  'buse  him  at  all. 
They  jest  say  '  Come  along  here  !  We  fix 
you.'     And  that's  all  they  done." 

"And  you  did  not  see  what  became  of  him 
and  the  others?" 

Morris  replied  that  he  watched  the  rescuers 
and  their  prisoners  from  the  stable  door  until 
they  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  and  that 
was  all  he  knew  about  them.  And  we  may 
add  that  that  was  all  any  one  in  that  house 
ever  knew  about  them.  Although  Marcy 
Gray  afterward  became  acquainted  with  all 
the  men  who  had  taken  an  active  jiart  in  this 


142  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

night's  work,  and  daily  mingled  with  them,  he 
never  learned  what  they  did  with  their  cap- 
tives. Indeed  he  never  inquired,  for  he  was 
afraid  that  he  might  hear  something  unpleas- 
ant if  he  did. 

"If  you  have  told  all  you  have  on  your 
mind  you  can  go  back  to  bed,"  said  Marc 3^, 
after  a  little  pause. 

"That's  all,"  answered  Morris.  "I  wish 
you  a  very  good  evening,  sar — you  and  the 
missus."  And  he  passed  into  the  hall,  closing 
the  door  behind  him.  Marcy  waited  until  he 
heard  the  outer  door  shut,  and  then  he  walked 
over  and  took  a  look  at  the  fallen  chandelier. 

"Wouldn't  Beardsley  be  hopping  if  he 
knew  that  one  of  his  own  negroes  had  upset 
his  plans?"  said  he.  "I  really  believe  he 
Avould  be  the  death  of  that  girl  Nancy. 
Julius  is  Avide  awake,  but  I  do  wish  he  would 
not  keep  so  much  to  himself,  and  that  I  could 
place  more  dependence  on  what  he  says." 

"But  you  do  not  mean  to  put  him  to  work? " 
said  his  mother. 

"  Oh,  no ;  and  the  rascal  knows  it.  He 
would  not  stay  in  the  field  two  minutes  with- 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  143 

out  some  one  to  watch  him,  and  he  is  of  use 
about  the  house.  Now,  go  and  get  some 
sleep,  mother,  and  I  will  see  that  things  are 
secure." 

Once  more  Marcy  made  the  rounds  of  the 
building,  and  this  time  he  did  not  find  things 
just  as  they  ought  to  be.  He  found  how  the 
robbers  had  effected  an  entrance.  They  had 
cut  a  hole  through  the  side  door  so  that  they 
could  reach  in  and  turn  the  key  in  the  lock 
and  draw  back  the  bolt.  Probably  Morris 
was  hiding  in  the  stable  when  they  did  it,  too 
badly  frightened  to  give  the  alarm ;  but  the 
robbers  would  not  have  done  their  work  en- 
tirely undisturbed  if  Bose  had  not  been  dead 
on  his  mat  around  the  corner. 

"If  Morris  and  Julius  knew  this  thing  was 
going  to  happen,  I  do  not  understand  why 
they  did  not  warn  us,"  said  Mrs.  Gray,  when 
Marcy  came  back  to  the  sitting-room. 

"Because  they  are  darkies,  and  darkies 
never  do  what  they  ought,"  answered  Marcy. 
"  They  did  not  want  us  to  be  frightened  until 
the  time  came,  and  so  they  stayed  awake  and 
watched  while  we  slept.     Good-night." 


144  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

When  Marcy  went  up  to  his  room  he  took 
his  pillows  from  the  floor,  and  put  them  on 
the  bed  where  they  belonged.  He  pushed  his 
revolvers  under  them,  smiling  grimlj^^  when  he 
thought  of  the  little  use  they  had  been  to  him 
Avhen  their  services  were  really  needed,  turned 
down  the  lamp,  and  was  about  to  throw  him- 
self upon  his  couch,  without  removing  his 
clothes,  when  he  heard  something  that  had 
startled  him  once  before — the  noise  made  by  a 
pebble  striking  against  his  window.  That  was 
the  way  in  which  Sailor  Jack  attracted  his  at- 
tention on  the  night  he  came  up  from  Newbern, 
after  piloting  that  Northern  blockade  runner 
safely  into  port ;  but  who  could  this  person 
be  ?  The  dread  of  danger,  that  was  uj^per- 
most  in  his  mind  when  he  stepped  to  the  win- 
dow and  opened  it,  gave  way  to  indignation 
when  he  looked  out  and  saw  the  boy  Julius 
standing  on  the  ground  below. 

"Look  here,  you  imp  of  darkness,"  he  ex- 
claimed. 

"Hursh,  honey,  hursli  !"  said  Julius,  in  an 
excited  whisper.  "Go  fru  de  hall,  and  look 
out  de  Oder  side." 


MAKCY   SPEAKS   IIIS   MIND.  145 

"What's  out  there?"  asked  Marcy,  in  the 
same  low  whisjjer. 

"  Nuffin.     But  you  go  and  look." 

Marcy  i)ut  down  the  window  and  went, 
knowing  tliat  it  would  be  a  waste  of  time  to 
question  such  a  fellow  as  Julius.  When  he 
stepped  into  the  hall  he  was  alarmed  to  see 
that  it  was  lighted  up  so  brightly  by  a  glare 
which  came  through  the  wide,  high  window  at 
the  other  end  that  he  could  distinguish  the 
figures  on  the  wall-paper.  He  reached  the 
window  in  two  jumps,  stood  there  about  two 
seconds  looking  toward  two  different  points 
of  the  compass,  and  then  faced  about,  and  ran 
down  the  stairs. 

"Mother,  mother!"  he  exclaimed,  as  he 
rapi)ed  on  her  bedroom  door.  "Get  up  and 
tell  me  what  to  do.  Here's  the  mischief  to 
pay.     Beardsley's  house  is  in  flames." 

"  O  Marcy !  "  was  all  Mrs.  Gray  could  say 
in  reply. 

"Yes.  And  there's  a  little  blaze  just  be- 
ginning to  show  above  the  trees  in  the 
direction  of  Colonel  Shelby's,"  continued 
Marcy. 

10 


146  MAECy,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

"This  is  a  dreadful  state  of  affairs,"  said 
his  mother. 

"  I  believe  you  ;  but  Aleck  Webster  told  the 
truth,  and  those  Union  men  are  bricks.  Jack 
will  be  tickled  to  death  when  he  hears  of  it." 

"  I  hope  he  isn't  heathen  enough  to  rejoice 
over  any  one's  misfortune.  But  how  can  I  tell 
you  what  to  do  ?    What  do  you  want  to  do  ? " 

"  I  want  to  know  if  you  will  be  afraid  to  re- 
main here  with  the  girls  while  I  run  over  there," 
answered  Marcy. 

^  "  Certainly  not.  Take  every  one  on  the 
place,  and  save  what  you  can.  But,  Marcy, 
you  cannot  do  any  work  with  only  one 
hand." 

"  No  matter.  I  can  show  my  good  will.  I 
don't  expect  to  have  a  chance  to  save  any- 
thing. The  house  has  been  burning  so  long 
that  the  roof  is  about  ready  to  tumble  in. 
Good-by." 

Marcy  buttoned  his  coat  to  keep  it  from 
falling  off  as  he  ran,  caught  his  cap  from  the 
rack  as  he  hurried  through  the  hall,  and 
opened  the  front  door  to  find  Julius  waiting 
for  him  at  the  foot  of  the  steps. 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  147 

"Wake  up  ever^^body ! "  commanded  Marc}^ 
"Tell  tlie  girls  to  go  into  the  house  to  keep 
their  mistress  company,  and  bring  the  men 
over  to  the  fire.     Hurry  up,  now !  " 

Marcy  ran  on  in  the  direction  of  the  gate, 
and,  as  soon  as  he  was  out  of  sight,  Julius 
whirled  around  and  seated  himself  on  the 
lower  step.  He  sat  there  about  five  minutes, 
and  then  rose  and  sauntered  off  toward  the 
road. 

"What  for  I  want  wake  up  everybody?" 
said  he  to  himself.  "I  jes  aint  going  take 
no  men  ober  to  de  fire  to  holp  save  de  cap'n's 
things,  when  de  cap'n  done  sick  de  robbers  on 
us.  Luf  him  take  keer  on  he  own  things  ; 
dat's  what  I  say." 

Marcy  was  right  when  he  told  his  mother 
that  he  would  not  be  in  season  to  assist  in  sav- 
ing the  captain's  property.  The  roof  of  the 
house  fell  in  about  the  time  he  reached  the 
road,  and  when  he  ran  info  the  yard  he  could 
do  no  more  than  follow  the  example  of  Beards- 
ley's  frightened  household,  and  stand  by  and 
look  on  while  the  fire  burned  itself  out.  He 
caught  one  glimpse  of  the  captain's  grown-up 


148  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

daughter  standing  beside  the  few  things  that 
had  been  saved,  but  she  straightway  hid  herself 
among  the  negroes,  and  gave  him  no  opportu- 
nity to  speak  to  her.  He  looked  toward  Colo- 
nel Shelby's  plantation,  and  saw  that  his  house, 
too,  was  so  far  gone  that  there  was  no  possible 
chance  of  saving  it.  This  was  the  important 
thing  that  Captain  Beardsley  forgot,  and  of 
which  we  spoke  a  short  time  ago.  He  forgot 
the  band  to  which  Aleck  Webster  belonged, 
or  perhaps  he  would  have  contrived  some  way 
to  make  them  believe  that  the  man  Kelsey, 
and  not  himself,  was  to  blame  for  the  raid  that 
had  that  night  been  made  upon  Mrs.  Gray's 
house. 

"Aleck  and  his  friends  must  have  had  the 
strongest  kind  of  evidence,  or  they  never  would 
have  done  such  work  as  this,"  thought  Marcy, 
as  he  turned  his  steps  homeward  after  satisfy- 
ing himself  that  there  was  nothing  he  could  do 
at  the  fire.  "I  wish  I  knew  what  that  evi- 
dence is,  and  how  all  this  is  going  to  end.  I 
wisli  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  that  the 
fanatics  who  are  responsible  for  this  state  of  af- 
fairs could  be  in  my  place  for  a  few  days." 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  149 

"I  hope  you  asked  the  captain's  daughter 
to  come  over  here,"  said  Mrs.  Gray,  when  her 
son  entered  the  room  in  which  she  was  sitting. 

"  Well,  I  didn't,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  meant 
to,  but  she  didn't  give  me  a  chance  to  say  a 
word  to  her.  Let  her  go  and  bunk  with  Mrs. 
Brown,  and  then  there  will  be  two  congenial 
spirits  together." 

By  this  time  it  was  getting  well  on  toward 
morning,  and  sleep  being  quite  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, Marcy  and  his  mother  sat  up  and  talked 
until  breakfast  was  announced.  The  burden 
of  their  conversation,  and  the  inquiry  which 
they  propounded  to  each  other  in  various 
forms,  was  :  What  should  they  say  to  their 
neighbors  regarding  the  events  of  the  night  ? 
Should  they  tell  the  story  of  the  attempted 
robbery,  when  questioned  about  it,  or  not? 
There  were  many  living  in  the  settlement  who 
had  not  been  taken  into  Beardsley's  confi- 
dence, who  did  not  know  that  the  Union  men 
were  banded  together  for  mutual  protection, 
and  some  of  them  were  Confederate  soldiers  ; 
and  what  would  these  be  likely  to  do  if  they 
learned  that  there  was  a  little  civil  war  in 


150  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

progress  among  their  neiglibors  ?  The  situa- 
tion was  an  embarrassing  one,  and  Marcy  and 
his  mother  did  not  know  how  to  manage  it. 

"  I  am  a-going  to  trust  to  luck  to  help  me 
out,"  said  tbe  boy,  who  had  been  gazing  stead- 
ily into  his  cup  of  coffee  as  if  he  there  hojDed 
to  find  an  answer  to  the  question  that  had 
been  under  discussion  for  the  last  two  hours. 
"  I  don't  believe  there  will  be  anything  done, 
one  way  or  the  other,  until  the  battle  that  is 
going  to  be  fought  at  Roanoke  Island  is 
decided." 

"  Why,  Marcy  ? "  said  Mrs,  Gray,  in  surprise. 
"  What  direct  intiuence  can  a  great  battle  have 
on  our  private  affairs  ?  " 

"I  thought  you  wouldn't  fall  in  with  my 
notions,  but  I  think  I  am  right,"  replied 
Marcy.  "If  the  rebels  win,  look  out  for 
breakers.  This  part  of  the  State  will  be  over- 
run with  soldiers,  who  will  shoot  or  drive  out 
every  one  who  is  suspected  of  being  friendly  to 
the  old  flag,  and  such  fellows  as  Beardsley  and 
Shelby  and  Allison  will  be  out  in  full  force 
to  hie  them  on.  If  the  Federals  win,  as  I  hope 
they  may,  and  occupy  the  Island  and  Plym- 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  161 

outh  and  other  points  about  here,  our  stay-at- 
home  rebels  will  crawl  into  their  holes,  and  you 
will  not  hear  a  cheep  from  them." 

"But  all  that  is  in  the  future,"  said  Mrs. 
Gray. 

"  And  what  we  want  to  know  is  how  to  con- 
duct ourselves  to-day,"  added  Marcy,  "I 
know  that,  and,  as  I  said  before,  I  am  going  to 
trust  to  luck.  I  can  tell  better  Avhat  to  say 
after  I  have  mingled  for  a  few  minutes  with 
the  crowd  I  shall  meet  at  the  post-office." 

"  Do  any  of  the  Union  men  ever  go  there  ?  " 
inquired  Mrs.  Gray. 

"I  have  seen  Webster  there  once  or  twice, 
but  as  to  the  rest,  I  cannot  say ;  for  I  do  not 
know  them." 

"  I  shouldn't  think  they  would  go  there  for 
fear  of  being  arrested." 

"Who  is  there  to  arrest  them  1  " 

"  I  don't  know  ;  but  I  suppose  the  postmas- 
ter could  bring  a  squad  of  soldiers  from  Plym- 
outh, could  he  not  1 ' ' 

"Yes,  but  he  would  have  to  bring  another 
squad  to  watch  his  house  and  store  after  the 
one  that  made  the  arrest  went  away,"  answered 


152  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Marcy.  "If  the  Nashville  people  attempt  to 
manage  this  thing  themselves,  I  am  afraid 
their  town  will  go  up  in  smoke." 

Going  to  the  post-office,  on  this  particular 
morning,  was  one  of  the  hardest  tasks  the  boy 
had  ever  set  for  himself.  He  wished  he  could 
hit  upon  some  good  excuse  for  sending  Morris 
in  his  place,  and  indeed  the  old  fellow  offered 
to  go  when  he  brought  up  Marcy' s  horse,  add- 
ing : 

"I'm  jubus  that  they  will  ask  you  a  heap 
of  questions  that  you  won't  want  to  answer. 
They  won't  say  nothing  to  Morris,  kase  a  pore 
niggali  never  knows  nothing." 

"I've  got  to  face  them  some  time,  and  it 
might  as  well  be  to-day  as  next  week,"  replied 
Marcy,  slipping  into  the  coachman's  hand  one 
of  the  gold  pieces  that  Julius  had  given  him 
the  night  before.  "Let  Julius  entirely  alone, 
and  the  next  time  you  hear  of  any  plans  being 
laid  against  us,  don't  keep  us  in  ignorance. 
Come  to  us  at  once,  so  that  we  may  know  what 
we  have  to  expect." 

"Thank  you  kindly,  sar,"  said  Morris,  tak- 
ing off  his  hat.     "I'll  bear  that  in  mind  ;  but 


MARCY  SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  153 

you  see,  Marse  Marcy,  I  didn't  want  for  to 
pester  you  and  your  maw.  I  was  on  the 
watch." 

"  But  you  were  frightened  to  death,  and 
that  little  imp  Julius  was  the  one  Avho  helped 
■us,"  thought  Marcy,  as  he  swung  himself  into 
the  saddle,  with  the  coachman's  assistance,  and 
rode  away.  "Well,  I  was  frightened  myself, 
but  I  couldn't  run  and  hide." 

When  Marcy  came  to  Beardsley's  gate,  he 
thought  it  would  be  a  neighborly  act  for  him 
to  ride  in  and  ask  if  there  was  anything  he 
could  do  for  the  captain's  daughter  ;  but  she 
was  not  to  be  seen.  Marcy  afterward  learned 
that  she  had  taken  up  her  abode  with  Mrs. 
Brown,  with  whom  she  intended  to  remain  un- 
til her  father  could  come  home  and  make  other 
arrangements  for  her  comfort.  There  were  a 
few  negroes  sauntering  around  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  smoking  ruins,  and  among  them 
w^as  the  girl  Nancy,  who  looked  at  him  now  and 
then  with  an  expression  on  her  face  that  would 
have  endangered  her  life  if  her  master  could 
have  seen  and  understood  it.  The  boy  was 
glad  to  turn  about  and  ride  away  from  the 


154  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

scene,  for  it  was  one  that  had  a  depressing  ef- 
fect upon  bim. 

"  Beardsley  brought  it  ujDon  liis  own  head," 
was  what  he  told  himself  over  and  over  again, 
bat  without  finding  any  consolation  in  the 
thought.  "It  is  bound  to  make  him  worse 
than  he  was  before — it  would  make  me  worse 
if  I  were  in  his  place — and  nobody  knows  what 
he  will  spring  on  us  next." 

As  Marcy  had  expected,  his  arrival  at  the 
hitching-rack  in  front  of  the  post-office  was 
the  signal  for  which  Tom  Allison,  Mark  Good- 
win, and  a  few  others  like  them  had  been 
waiting.  They  opened  the  door  and  ran  across 
the  street  in  a  body,  highly  excited  of  course, 
and  all  talking  at  once. 

"What  happened  out  your  way  last 
night  ? "  was  the  first  question  he  could  under- 
stand. 

"Fire,"  was  the  reply.  "Didn't  you  see 
it?" 

"You're  right,  I  did,"  said- Tom. 

"Then  why  didn't  you  come  out?"  in- 
quired Marcy.  "I  didn't  see  you  or  any 
other  white  man  about  there." 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  155 

"I'll  bet  you  didn't,"  exclaimed  Goodwin. 
"  When  two  houses  owned  by  prominent  men, 
and  standing  a  mile  and  a  half  apart,  get  on 
fire  almost  at  the  same  moment  in  the  dead 
hour  of  night " 

"And  while  their  owners  are  absent  from 
home,"  chimed  in  Tom. 

"And  while  their  owners  are  away  from 
home  on  business,"  added  Mark,  "it  means 
something,  doesn't  it?  We  stayed  pretty 
close  about  our  hearth-stones,  I  bet  you,  for  we 
didn't  know  how  soon  our  own  buildings 
might  get  a-going.  Where  were  you  when  it 
happened?" 

"I  was  at  home,  where  you  were,"  replied 
Marcy. 

"  And  wasn't  your  house  set  too  ? " 

Marcy  said  it  w^as  not ;  or  if  it  was  he  hadn't 
found  it  out. 

"That's  mighty  strange,''  remarked  one  of 
the  group  who  had  not  spoken  before. 

"What  is  strange?"  demanded  Marcy. 
"  Explain  yourself." 

"Why,  if  there  was  a  band  of  marauders 


106  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

about,  as  every  one  seems  to  tliink,"  said  the 
boy 

"  Well,  there  was,"  interrupted  Marcy. 
"They  came  to  our  house,  and  made  prepara- 
tions to  hang  me  up  by  the  neck,  when  the " 

"Oh,  get  out!"  exclaimed  Allison  and 
Goodwin  in  concert. 

Marcy  had  pushed  his  hat  on  the  back  of  his 
head  and  squared  himself  to  tell  the  story  of 
his  adventure  ;  but  when  these  words  fell  upon 
his  ear,  he  put  his  hands  into  his  pockets  and 
started  for  the  post-office. 

"Hold  on,"  cried  Tom,  catching  at  his  arm. 
"  Don't  go  off  that  way.     Tell  us  all  about  it." 

"I  will,  if  you  will  ride  home  with  me  so 
that  I  can  jirove  my  story,"  said  Marcy. 
"  When  you  see  the  chandelier  that  was  pulled 
out  of  its  place  in  the  ceiling  by  the  rope " 

"Were  you  hanging  to  the  rope  when  it 
pulled  out  1 "  exclaimed  the  impatient  boys. 

"  No.  If  I  had  been  I  would  have  a  broken 
head  now.  One  of  the  robbers  put  his  weight 
upon  the  rope  to  see  if  it  would  hold  me  up, 
when  the  thing  came  down  on  his  head  and 
knocked  him  senseless." 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  157 

"Well  now,  I  am  beat!  Did  they  go  off 
without  getting  any  money?"  inquired  Tom, 
who  would  not  have  asked  the  question  if  he 
had  been  in  a  calmer  mood. 

"They  certainly  did.  They  never  took  a 
cent." 

"And  they  didn't  fire  your  house  after- 
ward?" 

"  Not  that  we  know  of.  Our  house  is  stand- 
ing this  morning." 

"  Who  were  the  robbers  ?" 

"That's  a  conundrum  to  give  up,"  replied 
Marcy.  "  All  I  know  is  that  they  were  white 
men  who  had  made  a  bungling  attempt  to  dis- 
guise themselves  as  negroes  ;  but  they  did  not 
put  black  enough  on  their  hands  and  faces." 

Tom  Allison  looked  at  his  friend  Mark,  and 
when  he  moved  away  Mark  followed  him. 
As  soon  as  they  were  beyond  ear- shot  of  the 
rest  of  the  group,  Tom  said  : 

"Let's  shake  those  fellows,  and  wait  for  a 
chance  to  speak  to  Marcy  alone.  What  do 
you  think  you  make  of  the  situation  just  as  it 
stands?" 

"I  don't  make    anything  of  it,"  answered 


158  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

Mark.  "I  can't  see  through  it,  and  I  don't 
believe  Marcy  told  the  truth." 

"  I  do.  In  the  first  place  he  is  not  given  to 
lying,  and  besides  he  asked  us  to  go  home 
with  him.  He  v^ouldn't  have  done  that  if  he 
had  been  telling  us  a  funny  story,  I  believe 
Beardsley  sent  those  robbers  to  Mrs.  Gray's 
house  and  then  took  himself  off  so  that  he 
could  say  he  wasn't  at  home  when  the  robbery 
was  committed,  just  as  Marcy  and  Jack  could 
say  they  were  not  at  home  when  their  overseer 
was  abducted." 

"There  may  be  something  in  that,"  said 
Mark  reflectively.  "But  the  captain  made  a 
mighty  poor  selection  when  he  took  men  who 
permitted  themselves  to  be  scared  away  by  the 
breaking  down  of  a  chandelier,  A  brave  lot 
of  fellows  they  were." 

"But  perhaps  that  wasn't  what  frightened 
them  away,"  said  Tom.  "How  do  you  ac- 
count for  the  burning  of  Beard sley's  house 
and  Shelby's,  while  Gray's  Avas  allowed*  to 
stand?" 

"  I  don't  account  for  it.  It  is  quite  beyond 
me." 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  159 

"You  don't  tliink  those  robbers  set  the 
buildings  on  fire  ?" 

"It  isn't  likely,  when  they  were  in  Beards- 
ley's  employ.  Still  they  might  have  done 
it  to  revenge  themselves  for  the  loss  of  the 
money  they  expected  to  find  in  Mrs.  Gray's 
house." 

"  They  might,  but  I  don't  believe  they  did. 
Have  you  forgotten  what  was  in  the  letter 
Beardsley  received  while  he  Avas  in  New- 
bern?" 

"  By  gracious,  Tom  !     You  don' t  think " 

"Yes,  I  do.  They  said  they  would  jump  on 
him  if  he  didn't  stop  persecuting  Union  people, 
and  they  have  done  it.  The  men  who  wrote 
that  letter  were  the  men  who  burned  those 
houses." 

"Tom,  you  frighten  me.  I'll  tell  you 
what's  a  fact,  old  fellow:  You  and  I  made 
a  big  mistake  in  calling  on  that  old  gossip 
Mrs.  Brown.  We  didn't  get  a  thing  out  of 
her  beyond  what  we  knew  when  Ave  went  there, 
and  I'm  going  to  keep  clear  of  that  shanty  of 
hers  in  future.  It  may  be  your  father's  turn 
next,  or  mine." 


160  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"That  is  what  I  am  afraid  of,"  said  Tom 
honestly.  "  And  that  is  the  reason  I  want  to 
hang  around  and  see  Marcy  alone — to  ask  if 
he  saw  anything  of  those  Union  men  last 
night." 

Marcy  remained  in  the  post-ofRce  for  nearly 
half  an  hour,  for  he  was  surrounded  by  an  ex- 
cited and  anxious  group  there,  and  plied  with 
the  same  questions  he  had  been  called  on  to 
answer  outside ;  but  about  the  time  that 
Allison  and  his  companion  were  becoming  so  im- 
patient that  they  were  on  the  point  of  going 
in  after  him,  he  came  out  with  his  mail  in  his 
hand,  and,  what  was  a  comfort  to  them,  he 
came  alone. 

"  Are  you  two  going  to  ride  out  with  me  ? " 
said  Marcy,  when  he  reached  the  hitching- 
rack,  where  they  were  waiting  for  him. 

"  We  may  go  out  some  day,  but  not  for 
proof,"  replied  Tom,  "  What  would  be  the 
use,  when  we  know  that  you  told  us  nothing 
but  the  truth?  But,  Marcy,  you  don't  mean 
to  say  that  those  robbers  were  frightened  from 
their  work  by  the  simple  breaking  down  of 
the  chandelier  1 ' ' 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  161 

"Oh,  no;  tliey  had  better  reasons  than 
that  for  letting  us  alone,"  replied  the  boy, 
wlio  knew  that  he  might  as  well  tell  the  whole 
story  himself  as  to  leave  them  to  hear  it  from 
somebody  else.  "A  moment  or  so  after  the 
chandelier  came  down  on  the  head  of  one  of 
the  robbers,  a  party  of  armed  and  masked  men 
came  into  the  room  and  rescued  us." 

It  was  right  in  the  point  of  Tom  Allison's 
tongue  to  say  to  Mark,  "Didn't  I  tell  you 
so?"  but  he  caught  his  breath  in  time,  and 
tried  to  look  surprised.  "  Who  were  they  ? " 
he  managed  to  ask. 

"Didn't  I  say  they  were  all  masked?"  in- 
quired Marcy. 

"  Well,  they  said  something,  didn't  they." 
"  They  spoke  about  half  a  dozen  words." 
"  And  didn't  you  recognize  their  voices  ? " 
"  I  did  not.     Let  Mark  put  his  handkerchief 
over  his  mouth  and  speak  to  you,  and  see  if 
you  can  recognize  his  voice." 

"  But  haven't  you  an  idea  who  they  were  ?" 
"  You  know  as  much  about  them  as  I  do," 
answered  Marcy  ;   and  he  knew  by  the  expres- 
sion of  astonishment  that  came  upon  Tom's 
11 


162  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

face  that  he  had  hit  the  nail  squarely  on  the 
head. 

"How  do  you  explain  the  burning  of  those 
two  houses?"  inquired  Mark. 

"In  the  same  way  that  I  explain  the  raid 
that  was  made  upon  our  house.  Tlie  men  who 
were  responsible  for  one  were  resi)onsible  for 
the  other." 

"You  don't  mean  to  say  that  the  robbers 
did  it !  "  exclaimed  Tom. 

"  I  mean  to  say  that  thej^  Avere  the  cause  of 
it.  If  you  won't  ride  with  me  I  shall  have 
to  say  good-by." 

"What  do  you  think  now?"  asked  Tom, 
as  he  and  Mark  stood  watching  Marcy's  tilly 
spatter  the  mud  along  the  road. 

"  I  hate  to  say  what  I  think,"  was  Mark's 
reply.  "I'm  sorry  to  say  it,  but  it  is  a  fact 
that  that  villain  holds  every  dollar's  worth  of 
property  in  this  county  between  his  thumb 
and  finger." 

"  Well,  he  shall  not  hold  it  there  forty- 
eight  hours  longer,"  said  Allison  savagel3^ 

"  How  are  you  going  to  help  it  ?  " 

"  By  writing  a  note  to  the  commanding  offi- 


MARCY   SPEAKS   HIS   MIND.  163 

cers  at  Plymouth  and  Eoanoke,  and  telling 
them  what  sort  of  a  fix  we  are  in,"  replied 
Tom. 

"Don't  yon  do  it!"  cried  Mark.  "Don't 
think  of  it,  for  if  you  do  you  will  see  worse 
times  here  than  you  ever  dreamed  of.  If  you 
are  not  hanged  to  one  of  the  trees  on  the 
common  you  will  be  driven  out  of  the  coun- 
try." 

Wait  a  few  minutes,  and  Ave  will  tell  you 
whether  or  not  Mark  Goodwin  had  reason  to 
be  frightened  at  Tom's  reckless  words. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   ARRIVAL   OF  THE   FLEET. 

MARCY  GRAY  had  passed  through  the 
ordeal  he  so  much  dreaded,  and  was  as 
well  satisfied  with  the  way  he  had  come  out  of 
it  as  he  had  hoped  to  be.  Of  one  thing  he  was 
certain  :  every  person  to  whom  he  had  spoken 
that  morning  was  suspicious  of  him,  but  that 
was  no  more  than  he  expected.  Some  people 
in  Nashville  believed  that  he  had  not  only  in- 
stigated but  ordered  the  destruction  of  Beards- 
ley's  house  and  Shelby's,  and  that  he  could 
in  like  manner  command  the  burning  of  any 
house  in  the  settlement  if  he  felt  like  it,  and 
that  was  what  he  thought  they  would  believe. 
He  knew  it  wasn'  t  so,  and  it  troubled  and  vexed 
him  to  have  such  things  laid  to  his  charge ; 
but  how  could  he  help  it,  and  what  single 
thing  had  he  done  to  bring  it  about  ? 

"Heaven  knows  I  wish  they  would  let  us 

164 


tup:  arrival  of  the  fleet.  165 

alone,"  was  what  Marcy  said  to  himself  as  he 
galloped  along  the  road,  "but  I'll  not  stand 
by  and  see  my  mother  worried  and  tormented 
without  doing  something  to  stop  it ;  and  if 
Beardsley  or  Shelby  or  anybody  else  tries  it 
on,  I  will  have  him  punished  for  it  if  I 
can." 

Just  then  a  low  but  shrill  whistle,  sounding 
from  the  woods  which  came  down  close  to  the 
road  on  the  left  hand,  attracted  Marcy' s  atten- 
tion and  caused  him  to  draw  rein  gradually 
and  bring  his  horse  to  a  stand-still.  He  pulled 
a  paper  from  his  pocket,  and  while  pretending 
to  read,  looked  sideways  toward  the  woods, 
and  saw  Aleck  Webster  making  his  way  up 
through  the  bushes.  You  will  remember  that 
these  two  once  held  a  short  private  interview 
at  this  very  spot. 

"Good-morning,  sir,"  was  Aleck's  greeting. 
"  We  didn't  like  to  break  up  your  night's  rest, 
but  I  suppose  we  did." 

"You  may  safely  say  that,"  answered 
Marcy.  "  We  never  slept  a  wink,  or  even 
tried  to,  after  we  saw  that  Beardsley' s  house 
was  on  fire.     My  mother  and  I  are  sorry  you 


16G  3IARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

did  that.  After  you  had  rescued  us,  why 
couldn't  you  go  away  satisfied  ? " 

"And  let  the  same  thing  happen  again?" 
exclaimed  Aleck.  "  I  suppose  you  know  that 
Beardsley  was  to  blame  for  the  robbers  coming 
to  your  house?" 

"We  don't  know  it,  but  we  think  so,"  re- 
plied Marcy. 

"We  had  as  strong  evidence  as  we  needed 
that  he  meant  to  do  that  very  thing,  and  when 
he  was  ready  to  spring  his  plans,  he  found  us 
waiting  for  him.  Perhaps  you  don't  know  it, 
but  your  house  has  been  watched  every  night 
for  a  week  past." 

"I  wish  I  could  find  words  to  thank  you," 
began  Marcy. 

"  Belay  that,  if  you  please,  sir,"  said  Aleck 
hastily.  "  We  are  helping  ourselves  while  we 
are  looking  out  for  you.  You  are  Mr.  Jack 
Gray's  brother,  and  that  is  enough  for  me  to 
know.  Our  letter  brought  the  cax3'n  home  in 
a  tolerable  hurry,  and  ought  to  have  been  a 
warning  to  him  to  keep  still  after  he  got  here. 
Perhaps  he  will  see  now  that  we  meant  what 
we  said  to  him." 


THE   AKKIVAL    OF   THE   FLEET.  167 

"I  certainly  hope  he  will,  for  I  don't  want 
to  see  any  more  of  his  buildings  destroyed.  I 
suppose  you  had  reason  to  connect  Colonel 
Shelby  with  Beardsley's  schemes?" 

"  You're  right,  we  did.  He  was  knowing  to 
them  and  didn't  try  to  stop  them,  and  so  we 
thought  we'd  best  tell  him  not  to  go  too  far. 
They  thought,  if  they  left  home  for  a  spell,  we 
would  not  blame  them,  but  we  were  onto  them 
all  the  same.  They  can't  make  a  move  or  do  a 
thing  that  we  don't  know  it." 

Marcy  wanted  much  to  ask  what  means 
Aleck  and  his  friends  used  to  keep  themselves 
so  well  informed  ;  who  those  friends  were  and 
how  many  there  were  of  them  ;  but  on  second 
thought  he  decided  that  the  best  thing  he 
could  do  would  be  to  listen  and  say  nothing. 
He  would  have  been  glad  to  know  what  had 
been  done  with  the  four  prisoners  the  rescuing 
party  carried  away  with  them  ;  but  as  Aleck 
did  not  once  refer  to  them,  Marcy  contented 
himself  with  asking  about  the  wounded  one. 

"  Was  the  man  who  was  knocked  down  very 
much  hurt  ? "  said  he. 

"Oh,  no.     He  came  around  all  right  in  a  few 


168  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

minutes,"  answered  Aleck  ;  and  then,  as  if  to 
show  Marcy  that  he  did  not  intend  to  say  more 
on  that  subject,  he  hastened  to  add,  "My ob- 
ject in  stopping  you  Avas  to  inquire  if  you  are 
satisfied  with  the  way  I  have  kept  the  promise 
I  made  Mr,  Jack.  I  told  him  I  would  always 
stand  his  friend,  and  yours.  You  don't  often 
get  letters  from  him,  I  suppose?" 

"  Not  often,"  replied  Marcj^,  with  a  smile. 
"  The  mail  does  not  run  regularly  between  our 
house,  and  the  Yankee  fleet." 

"No,  I  reckon  not ;  but  if  you  get  a  cliance 
to  write  to  him,  tell  him  what  I  have  told 
you." 

"Look  here,  Aleck,"  said  Marcy  suddenly. 
"  Do  the  members  of  your  band  ever  hang 
about  the  post-office  ?  I  know  I  have  seen  you 
there  a  few  times." 

"  Of  course  ;  and  you  will,  no  doubt,  see  me 
there  again.  We  have  to  go  among  people  to 
keep  susj)icion  away  from  us." 

"That's  what  I  thought,"  continued  Marcy. 
"Now,  are  you  not  afraid  that  some  one  will 
bring  soldiers  there  to  make  prisoners  of 
you?" 


THE   AllRIVAL    OF   THE   FLEET.  169 

"No,  I  don't  think  they  will,"  said  Aleck 
indifferently.  "If  the  soldiers  should  come, 
there  are  men  in  that  town  who  would  run  so 
fast  to  meet  and  send  them  back,  that  you 
couldn't  see  them  for  the  mud  they  would 
kick  up  in  the  road." 

"  You  mean  that  they  would  not  permit  the 
soldiers  to  molest  you  ? " 

"  They  wouldn't,  if  they  could  help  it,  for 
they  know  their  town  would  be  destroyed  if 
they  did,"  replied  Aleck;  and  Marcy  was 
frightened  by  the  spiteful  emphasis  he  threw 
into  his  words.  "  They  will  be  sorry  enough, 
before  we  are  done  with  them,  that  they  ever 
tried  to  break  up  this  government.  We  want 
peace  and  quiet,  and  we're  going  to  have  'em, 
if  we  have  to  hang  every  rebel  in  the  country." 

This  was  wdiat  we  meant  when  we  said,  at 
the  close  of  the  last  chapter,  that  we  should 
soon  see  whether  or  not  Mark  Goodwin  had 
reason  to  be  alarmed  by  Tom  Allison's  reck- 
less proposition.  It  seemed  that  every  con- 
tingency had  been  thought  of  and  provided 
for  by  the  long-headed  Union  men  who  held 
secret  meetings  in  the  swamp,   and  that,   if 


170  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Allison  possessed  ordinary  common  sense,  lie 
would  not  say  a  word  to  the  commanding  offi- 
cers at  Plymouth  and  Roanoke  regarding  the 
situation  in  and  around  Nashville.  Marcydid 
not  like  to  hear  the  stalwart  young  sailor  talk 
in  this  savage  strain,  so  he  switched  him  off 
on  another  track,  by  saying  : 

"  I  want  to  ask  one  other  question  before  I 
forget  it :  Were  you  the  man  who  nodded  to 
me  last  night,  when  you  and  your  friends  came 
in,  and  saved  me  from  a  choking?  " 

"I  reckon  so  ;  and  I  was  the  one  who  got 
your  revolvers  back  for  you.  They  didn't  do 
you  much  good,  did  they  ?  That  little  nig  of 
yours  is  as  sharp  as  they  make  'em.  Didn't 
he  tell  you  who  we  were  ? ' ' 

"He  gave  us  to  understand  that  he  didn't 
know." 

"That  was  all  right.  It  sliow^s  that  he  can 
be  trusted  to  keep  his  mouth  shut.  But,  I  am 
afraid,  if  we  don't  quit  talking,  somebody  will 
ask  you  what  you  found  in  your  paper  that 
was  so  mighty  interesting  ;  so  good-by.  Don't 
be  alarmed  on  account  of  Beardsley  and  the 
rest.     I  have  a  notion  that  the  fear  of  punish- 


TIIK    ARRIVAL    OF   THE   FLEET.  171 

ment  will  make  them  let  you  and  every  other 
Union  man  about  here  alone  after  this." 

Aleck  disappeared  among  the  bushes,  and 
Marcy  rode  on  with  his  eyes  still  fixed  upon 
his  newspaper  ;  but  he  did  not  see  a  word  in  it. 
He  was  thinking  of  the  Union  men,  wdio  had 
showed  themselves  brave  enough  to  punish 
their  enemies  almost  under  the  noses  of  two 
strong  Confederate  garrisons. 

"They  are  a  desj)erate  lot,  wdioever  they 
are,"  was  his  mental  reflection,  "and  I  would 
rather  have  them  on  my  side  than  against  me. 
What  will  be  the  next  thing  on  the  pro- 
gramme ?" 

There  was  not  much  work  accomplished  on 
the  plantation  that  day,  for  the  excited  negroes, 
some  of  whom  did  not  know  a  thing  about  the 
raid  of  the  previous  night  until  it  was  over, 
had  too  much  talking  to  do  among  themselves, 
and  with  Morris  and  Julius,  w-ho  he]d  their 
heads  high  and  threw  on  airs  because  they  had 
been  prominent  actors  in  the  thrilling  scenes 
that  took  pface  in  Mrs.  Gray's  sitting-room. 
Julius  thought  himself  of  so  much  consequence 
that  it  was  all  Marcy  could  do  to  persuade  him 


172  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

to  give  the  dead  Bose  a  decent  burial,  and  then 
he  was  obliged  to  go  Avith  him  to  see  that  the 
task  was  well  done.     But  he  was  not  as  im- 
patient with  the  black  boy  as  he  would  have 
been  if  Aleck  Webster  had  not  spoken  so  well 
of  him.     They  had  visitors,  too  ;    and  Marcy 
knew  that  their  object  in  coming  was  not  to 
sympathize  with  his  mother  and  denounce  the 
" outrage"  as  they  called  it,  but  to  gain  her 
good  will  if  they  could.     As  Marcy  bluntly  ex- 
pressed it — "They  would  not  come  near  us  if 
they  thought  we  were  friendless  and  helpless, 
but  they  know  we  are  not,  and  so  they  want  to 
get  on  our  blind  side."     Theyfairly  "gushed" 
over  the  Confederate  flag  that  was  hung  upon 
the  wall  of  the  sitting-room,  but  when  they 
went  away  they  told  one  another  that  that  ban- 
ner did  not  express  Mrs.  Gray's  honest  senti- 
ments, and  that  it  would  not  protect  her  or  her 
property  for  one  minute  if  the  Richmond  au- 
thorities would  only  yield  to  the  importunities 
of  General  Wise,  and  send  a  strong  force  to 
occupy  Roanoke  Island  and  the  surrounding 
covmtry.     If  that  time  ever  came,  the  general's 
attention  should  be  called  to  the  fact  that  one 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF  THE  FLEET.  173 

of  the  sons  of  that  house  was  a  sailor  in  the 
Yankee  navy. 

After  another  almost  sleepless  night  Mai'cy 
Gray  rode  again  to  the  post-ofRce,  to  find  there 
the  same  talkative,  indignant,  do-nothing 
crowd  he  had  long  been  accustomed  to  meet  at 
mail  time.  This  morning,  if  such  a  thing  were 
possible,  they  were  more  excited  and  angry 
than  they  had  been  the  day  before  ;  but  they 
did  not  fail  to  meet  Marcy  at  the  hitching- 
rack,  or  to  talk  to  him  as  though  they  looked 
upon  him  as  one  of  themselves.  He  noticed 
that  they  all  held  papers  in  their  hands. 

"This  thing  is  going  to  be  stopped  now,  I 
bet  you,"  said  Mark  Goodwin,  who  was  the 
first  to  speak. 

"  Do  you  mean  the  war  ?"  inquired  Marcy. 
"If  you  do,  I  am  heartily  glad  to  hear  the 
news." 

"I  mean  the  war  right  around  here," 
answered  Mark.  "It's  got  into  the  New- 
bern  papers,  and  they  are  giving  us  fits 
on  account  of  it.  They  say  it  serves  us  just 
right." 

"What  does?" 


174  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

"Why,  having  our  houses  burned  and — and 
all  that." 

"Do  they  say  anything  about  robbery?" 
asked  Marcy.  "  Or  about  threatening  to  pull 
a  law-abiding  boy  up  by  the  neck  because  he 
does  not  happen  to  have  a  pocketful  of  money 
with  him?" 

"No,"  replied  Mark,  rather  indignantl}^ ; 
and  then,  seeing  by  the  curious  smile  on 
Marcy' s  face  that  he  had  spoken  too  quickly, 
he  added,  "I  suppose  of  course  that  they  do 
say  something  about  that  outrage,  but  I  can't 
tell  for  certain,  for  I  have  only  had  time 
to  read  what  my  papers  say  concerning 
the  burning  of  Beardsley's  house  and 
Shelby's." 

"  Probably  they  don't  refer  to  the  way  those 
four  villains  conducted  themselves  in  my 
mother's  house,"  said  Marcy,  in  a  tone  of  con- 
tempt. "It's  altogether  too  insignificant  a 
thing  to  have  travelled  as  far  as  the  city  of 
Newbern." 

"  It  isn't,  either  !  "  exclaimed  Tom  Allison, 
glaring  savagely  at  Marcy.  "Nothing  is  too 
insignificant  to  attract  attention  these  times. 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF   THE   FLEET.  175 

My  paper  says — but  there  it  is.  Read  it  for 
yourself." 

''Thank  you  ;  I  can't  stop,"  answered  Marcy, 
moving  toward  the  office.  "  I'll  get  my  own, 
and  read  it  on  the  way  home." 

Contrary  to  his  expectations  he  did  not 
find  a  very  belligerent  crowd  in  there.  The 
space  between  the  counters  was  filled  Avith  men, 
and  they  were  all  talking  at  once  ;  but  they 
had  learned  wisdom  by  past  experience,  and 
however  much  they  might  have  desired  to 
threaten  somebody,  they  were  careful  not  to  do 
it.  They  denounced  Yankees  and  their  sym- 
pathizers in  a  general  way,  and  declared  that 
it  was  a  cowardly  piece  of  business  to  burn 
houses  while  their  owners  were  absent,  but 
they  did  not  mention  any  names.  Marcy  loi- 
tered about  until  he  found  that  he  was  not  go- 
ing to  hear  anything  more  than  he  had  heard 
a  score  of  times  before,  and  then  mounted  his 
horse  and  set  out  for  home.  Dropping  the 
reins  upon  his  filly's  neck  and  allowing  her  to 
choose  her  own  gait,  he  drew  his  Newbern 
paper  from  his  pocket,  and  began  looking  for 
the    article    of    which    Mark    Goodwin    had 


176  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

spoken.  He  could  not  run  amiss  of  it,  for 
the  black  headlines  were  too  prominent.  Tliey 
took  up  more  than  half  the  column,  and  after 
Marcy  had  run  his  eye  over  a  few  of  the  lead- 
ing ones,  he  had  a  very  good  idea  of  the  article 
itself.  He  read:  "A  Reign  of  Terror. — Civil 
War  Inaugurated  in  a  Sovereign  State. — 
Cowardly  Citizens  Who  Allow  a  Handful  of 
Traitors  to  Work  their  Sweet  Will  of  Them.— 
Armed  and  Masked  Incendiaries  Abroad  at 
Night." 

"There  now!"  exclaimed  Marcy,  when  he 
read  the  last  line.  "  That  is  as  good  proof  as 
I  want  that  the  man  who  wrote  this  knew  the 
whole  story.  Mother  and  I  were  the  only 
white  persons  who  saw  those  men,  and  nobody 
would  have  known  that  they  were  armed  and 
masked  if  I  hadn't  said  so.  Til  bet  you  the 
paper  doesn't  say  a  word  concerning  the 
'cowardly  citizen'  who  sent  those  robbers  to 
our  house." 

Swallowing  his  indignation  as  well  as  he 
could,  Marcy  turned  his  attention  to  the 
article,  which  ran  as   follows : 

"  We  have  learned,  from  what  we  think  to 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF   THE   FLEET.  177 

be  reliable  sources,  that  a  reign  of  terror  exists 
in  certain  portions  of  this  Commonwealth  that 
is  a  burning  shame  and  a  disgrace  to  the 
cowards  who  permit  it.  They  claim  to  be 
loyal  Southern  gentlemen  up  there,  but  they 
will  have  to  furnish  better  proof  than  they 
have  thus  far  given  before  we  will  believe  it. 
When  the  gallant  Wise  was  placed  in  com- 
mand of  this  district  in  December  last.  Secre- 
tary Benjamin  desired  him  to  bring  his  legion 
up  to  10,000  strong  by  recruiting  in  North 
Carolina.  There  was  reason  for  this  order,  and 
for  anxiety  regarding  Roanoke  and  adjacent 
points,  because  as  early  as  September,  1861, 
General  McClellan  requested  the  Yankee  Secre- 
tary of  War  '  to  organize  two  brigades  of  five 
regiments  each  of  New  England  men,  for  the 
general  service,  but  particularly  adapted  to 
coast  service.'  That  means  that  he  intended 
to  turn  a  horde  of  red-hot  abolitionists  and 
nigger-lovers  loose  upon  our  almost  defenceless 
shores.  Wise  saw  and  realized  the  danger, 
tried  hard  to  obey  Secretary  Benjamin's  order, 
and  failed  ;  and  now  we  know  the  reason  why. 
How  could  he  make  brave  soldiers  out  of  men 

12 


178  MAllCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

who  will  permit  armed  and  masked  traitors  to 
ride  about  their  county  of  nights,  wreaking 
vengeance  upon  those  who  are  so  unfortunate  as 
to  incur  their  disjDleasure  ?  While  we  deeply 
sympathize  with  Messrs,  Shelby  and  Beardsley, 
whose  dwellings  were  burned  hist  night,  and 
wish  that  the  incendiaries  might  have  chosen 
some  less  out-spoken  and  liberal  citizens  as 
their  victims,  we  are  constrained  to  say  that 
the  lesson  that  community  has  received  is  Avell 
deserved.  Now  let  them  arouse  and  stamp  this 
lawlessness  out  with  an  iron  heel ;  and  let  us 
warn  those  Union  men  in  the  same  breath,  and 
all  others  who  feel  disposed  to  follow  in  their 
lead,  that  their  day  will  be  a  short  one.  They 
will  not  be  driven  from  the  country — they  will 
be  hunted  down  like  dogs,  and  hanged  to  the 
nearest  tree.  They  will  not  be  shot.  That  is 
the  death  the  loyal  soldier  dies,  but  Ave  save 
the  rope  for  traitors." 

"The  editor's  pen  was  so  mad  it  stuttered 
when  it  wrote  this  rambling  article,"  thought 
Marcy.  "It  couldn't  talk  straight.  If  he 
owned  about  fifty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of 
houses  in  these  parts,  he  would  not  write  so 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF  THE   FLEET.  179 

glibly  about  hanging  Union  men.  Now,  let  us 
see  what  sort  of  language  he  used  in  denounc- 
ing the  raid  that  was  made  upon  our  house." 

He  looked  the  paper  through  without  find- 
ing any  reference  to  it,  but  that  was  no  more 
than  he  expected.  The  outrages  of  every  de- 
scription that  were  perpetrated  ujDon  Union 
people  during  the  days  of  the  war,  by  "loyal 
Southern  gentlemen,"  were  of  so  common  oc- 
currence, and  of  so  little  consequence  besides, 
that  they  were  never  mentioned  in  the  news- 
papers. The  oft-expressed  verdict  was  that 
Unionists  had  no  rights  that  any  white  man 
was  bound  to  respect. 

"  If  our  house  had  been  burned  and  every- 
body in  it  hanged,  this  rebel  sheet  would  not 
have  said  a  Avord  against  it,"  thought  Marcy, 
shoving  the  paj^er  into  his  pocket  and  starting 
up  his  horse.  "Mark  Goodwin  says  that 
these  things  have  got  to  be  stopped  now, 
which  means  that  Beardsley  and  Shelby  will 
set  something  else  afoot  as  soon  as  they  return 
from  the  Island.  Now,  let  us  see  what  it  will 
be.  Shall  I  show  this  paper  to  mother,  or 
not?" 


180  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

This  was  the  question  that  Marcy  pondered 
during  his  ride,  and  the  conclusion  he  came  to 
was  that  his  mother  had  as  much  right  to 
know  the  worst  as  he  had  to  know  it  himself  ; 
so  he  handed  out  the  paper  as  soon  as  he 
reached  home,  and  rode  on  to  the  field  to  see 
how  his  small  force  was  getting  on  with  the 
work  he  had  assigned  it. 

Then  came  several  days  of  suspense  that 
were  hard  to  bear.  Beardsley  and  Shelby 
came  home  as  soon  as  they  heard  of  the  loss 
they  had  sustained,  but  what  thej^  had  to  say, 
and  what  they  made  up  their  minds  to  do 
about  it,  never  came  to  Marcy' s  ears.  They 
did  not  take  the  trouble  to  call  upon  Mrs. 
Gray.  Evidently  they  did  not  think  it  worth 
while,  because  she  could  not  restore  to  them 
the  property  they  had  lost ;  but  others,  who 
had  roofs  that  they  wanted  to  keep  over  their 
heads,  came  every  day  or  two,  although  they 
did  not  bring  much  news  that  was  worth  hear- 
ing. About  all  Marcy  learned  was  that 
Beardsley  and  his  companion  had  returned 
filled  with  martial  ardor,  that  they  were  work- 
ing night  and  day  to  send  recruits  to  Roanoke 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF  THE   FLEET.  181 

Island,  altliongh  they  did  not  show  any  signs 
of  going  back  there  themselves.  They  de- 
clared that  the  Island  was  as  strong  as  Gib- 
raltar, and  if  the  Yankees  were  foolish  enough 
to  send  an  expedition  against  it,  there 
wouldn't  be  a  man  of  them  left  to  tell  the 
story  of  the  fight ;  and  they  wanted  all  the 
youngsters  in  the  country  to  go  there  and  en- 
list, so  that  they  could  be  able  to  say  that 
they  had  assisted  in  winning  the  most  glorious 
victory  of  modern  times.  They  were  very  en- 
thusiastic themselves,  and  they  made  some 
others  so  ;  but  Marcy  Gray,  who  kept  a  close 
watch  of  all  that  went  on  in  the  settlement, 
did  not  see  more  than  a  dozen  young  men  and 
boys  fall  in  in  response  to  their  earnest  ap- 
peals. 

"It's  a  disgraceful  state  of  affairs,"  said 
Tom  Allison  one  morning,  when  Marcy  met 
him  at  the  post-office.  "The  Southern  people 
deserve  to  be  whipped,  they  are  so  lacking  in 
patriotism." 

"  Did  you  ever  think  of  going  into  the  army 
yourself  1 "  inquired  Marcy. 

"  I  can't  go,"  replied  Tom.     "  We  have  sent 


182  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

our  overseer,  and  that  is  as  mucli  as  we  can  do 
at  present.  I  wanted  to  enlist  weeks  ago,  but 
father  said  I  must  stay  at  home  and  help  him 
manage  the  place." 

Marcy  found  it  hard  to  keep  from  laughing 
outright  when  Tom  said  this.  The  latter  had 
never  done  a  day's  work  at  overseeing  or  any- 
thing else,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  he  could  have 
told  whether  or  not  a  corn  furrow  was  laid  off 
straight.  He  was  too  indolent  to  do  anything 
but  eat,  sleep,  and  ride  about  the  country. 

"  There  are  plenty  around  here  who  could 
go  as  well  as  not,"  continued  Tom,  "and  I 
might  go  myself  if  I  could  only  g-et  a  commis- 
sion.    But  I  won't  go  as  a  private  soldier." 

"Have  you  tried  to  get  a  commission?" 
asked  Marcy, 

Tom  replied  that  he  had  not.  He  did  not 
know  how  to  go  about  it,  and  was  not  ac- 
quainted with  any  one  who  could  tell  him. 

"Then  hunt  up  General  Wise,  and  ask  his 
advice,"  suggested  Marcy.  "He  can,  and  no 
doubt  will  put  you  on  the  right  track  at 
once." 

But  Tom  Allison  was  much  too  sharp  to  do 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF  THE   FLEET.  183 

a  thing  like  that.  He  was  Avell  aware  that  en- 
listed men  had  no  love  for  "  cits  "  who  could 
go  into  the  army  and  wouldn't,  and  the  prom- 
ise of  a  colonel's  commission  would  not  have 
induced  him  to  go  among  them.  He  meant  to 
remain  at  home  and  let  other  and  j)oorer 
men's  sons  do  the  fighting,  and  Marcy  knew 
it  all  the  while. 

The  latter  did  not  i)ut  much  faith  in  the 
stories  that  Captain  Beardsley  and  Colonel 
Shelby  had  sx)read  through  the  country,  and 
when  his  mother's  negroes  began  coming  home 
in  companies  of  twos  and  threes,  he  put  still  less 
faith  in  them.  They  were  a  sorry-looking  lot, 
ragged  and  dirty  ;  and  the  first  thing  they 
asked  for  as  they  crowded  about  the  kitchen 
door  was  something  to  eat. 

"  Oh,  missus,  don't  eber  luf  dem  rebels  take 
we  uns  away  agin,"  was  their  constant  plea. 
"Dey'buse  us  de  wust  you  eber  see.  Dey 
whop  us,  an'  dey  kick  us,  an'  dey  don't  gib  us 
half  'nough  to  eat.  We  all  starve  to  def.  We 
been  pray  in'  night  an'  day  dat  de  Yankees  may 
come  an'  shoot  dat  place  plum  to  pieces." 

"But  the  trouble  is  that  the  Yankees  can't 


184  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

do  it,"  said  Marcy,  as  he  bustled  about  in 
search  of  bread  and  meat  to  satisfy  the  de- 
mands of  the  hungry  blacks.  "Captain 
Beardsley  says  the  Island  is  too  strong  to  be 
captured." 

The  negroes  confessed  that  they  did  not 
know  much  about  military  matters,  but  they 
did  know  that  there  was  much  dissatisfaction 
among  the  soldiers  composing  the  garrison, 
many  of  Avhom  declared  that  they  would  make 
tracks  for  home  as  soon  as  their  year  was  out, 
leaving  the  Confederacy  to  gain  its  independ- 
ence in  any  way  it  pleased.  The  Richmond 
authorities  would  not  help  them,  the  people 
along  the  coast  were  too  cowardly  or  too  lazy 
to  shoulder  a  musket,  and  they  were  not  going 
to  stay  in  the  army  and  eat  hard-tack  while 
other  able-bodied  men  stayed  at  home  and 
lived  on  the  fat  of  the  land.  They  would  do 
their  duty  until  their  term  of  enlistment  ex- 
pired, and  then  they  Avould  stand  aside  and 
give  somebody  else  a  chance  to  fight  the  Yan- 
kees. That  was  what  a  good  many  deluded 
and  disappointed  rebels  thought  and  said 
about  this  time  ;   but  those  who  have  read 


THE   ARRIVAL    OF   THE    FLEET.  185 

"  Rodney,  the  Partisan,"  know  liow  very  easy 
it  was  for  the  Confederate  authorities  to  bring 
such  malcontents  to  their  senses. 

But  at  last  the  time  came  when  at  least  one 
of  these  vexed  questions  was  to  be  solved  by  a 
trial  at  arms.  While  the  scenes  we  have  at- 
tempted to  describe  were  being  enacted  on 
shore,  others,  that  were  of  no  less  interest  and 
importance  to  Marcy  Gray  and  the  people  who 
lived  in  and  around  Nashville,  were  transpir- 
ing on  the  water.  On  the  11th  day  of  January 
a  formidable  military  and  naval  expedition, 
consisting  of  more  than  a  hundred  gunboats, 
transports,  and  suj>ply  ships,  set  sail  from 
Fortress  Monroe.  Its  object  was  to  obtain 
possession  of  Roanoke  Island,  which  the  Con- 
federates had  spent  so  much  time  and  care 
in  fortifying,  and  which  their  General  Wise 
called  "the  key  to  all  the  rear  defences  of 
Norfolk."  Two  days  later  the  expedition  ar- 
rived off  Hatteras  just  as  a  fierce  northeast 
gale  was  springing  up,  and  two  days  after  that 
the  Newbern  papers  brought  the  encouraging 
news  to  Nashville.  We  say  encouraging,  be- 
cause there  was  not  a  man  or  boy  in  town  who 


186  MAKCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

did  not  liouestly  believe  that  those  hundred 
vessels  were  doomed  to  certain  and  swift  de- 
struction. As  in  the  case  of  a  former  expedi- 
tion, Tom  Allison  was  much  afraid  that  the 
wind  and  the  waves  would  do  the  work  which 
the  gunners  at  Roanoke  Island  were  anxious 
to  do  themselves. 

"Oh,  don't  I  wish  this  wind  would  go 
down!"  was  the  way  he  greeted  Marcy  on 
the  morning  on  which  the  news  of  the  arrival 
of  the  fleet  reached  Nashville.  "Here  we've 
gone  and  worked  like  beavers  to  fortify  the 
island,  hoping  and  expecting  to  give  the  Yan- 
kees a  Bull  Run  licking  there,  and  now  Old 
Hatteras  has  taken  the  matter  out  of  our 
hands,  and  is  pounding  the  expedition  to 
pieces  on  the  shoals.  Half  of  the  enemy's 
•tubs  have  gone  to  smash  already,  and  the  rest 
will  go  back  as  soon  as  they  can.  Not  one  of 
them  will  ever  cross  the  bar,  I  tell  you." 

For  two  weeks  a  furious  gale  raged  along 
the  coast,  and,  during  that  time,  Marcy  Gray 
lived  in  a  state  of  suspense  that  cannot  be  de- 
scribed. He  could  not  bring  himself  down  to 
work,  so  he  went  to  town  twice  each  day,  and 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF  THE   FLEET.  187 

always  came  back  to  report  the  loss  of  another 
ship  belonging  to  the  expedition. 

"Why,  Marcy,  if  they  keep  on  losing  ves- 
sels at  this  rate,  there  will  not  be  any  expedi- 
tion left  after  a  while,"  said  his  mother  one 
day. 

"These  reports  are  all  false,"  declared 
Marcy.  "I  tell  them  to  you  because  they  are 
told  to  me,  and  not  because  I  expect  you  to 
believe  them.  Don't  worry.  Those  ships  are 
commanded  by  Yankees,  and  Yankees  are  the 
best  sailors  in  the  world," 

For  a  time  it  looked  as  though  Tom  Allison's 
prediction  would  be  verified  ;  for  it  was  only 
after  fifteen  days'  struggle  with  the  elements, 
and  the  loss  of  four  vessels,  that  Burnside  and 
his  naval  associate.  Flag-officer  Goldsborough, 
succeeded  in  passing  through  Hatteras  Inlet  to 
the  calmer  waters  of  Pamlico  Sound.  It  was 
an  exhibition  of  patient  courage  and  skill  on 
the  jiart  of  the  Union  officers  and  men  that 
astonished  everybody ;  and  even  Tom  Allison 
was  willing  to  confess  that  things  were  getting 
serious.  There  was  bound  to  be  a  terrible 
battle  at  the  Island,  and  the  citizens  of  Nash- 


188  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE, 

ville  would  hear  the  guns.  And  if  the  Island 
should  be  captured,  as  Forts  Hatteras  and 
Clark  were  captured,  then  what  1  The  thought 
was  terrif^dng  to  the  timid  ones,  who  straight- 
way hid  their  clothing,  and  began  carrying 
the  contents  of  their  cellars,  smoke-houses, 
and  corn-cribs  into  the  woods,  as  they  had 
done  when  the  news  came  that  Butler  and 
Stringham  had  reduced  the  fortifications  at 
the  Inlet ;  but,  on  this  occasion,  Mrs,  Gray's 
neighbors  were  all  so  busy  with  their  own 
affairs  that  they  did  not  have  time  to  run  over 
and  find  fault  with  her  because  she  did  not 
hide  anything. 

A  few  days  of  inactivit}^  followed,  during 
which  the  fleet  was  repairing  the  damages  it 
had  received  during  the  storm,  and  then  a 
hush  seemed  to  fall  upon  the  whole  nation  as 
the  news  was  flashed  over  it  that  the  final 
struggle  for  the  possession  of  those  waters 
was  about  to  begin.  The  low,  swampy  shores  of 
the  Sound  being  but  sparsely  settled,  and  nearly 
all  the  able-bodied  men  in  the  country,  both 
white  and  black,  having  been  summoned  to  the 
Island,  some  as  soldiers  and  the  others  to  work 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF   THE   FLEET.  189 

on  the  forts  and  trendies,  there  were  few  to 
witness  the  grand  and  imposing  spectacle  the 
fleet  presented  as  it  moved  into  position  on  the 
evening  of  February  5,  and  droj^ped  anchor 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  entrance  to  Croatan 
Sound  ;  but  among  those  few  was  one  who 
was  destined  to  bring  Marcy  Gray  into  dee]3er 
trouble  than  he  had  ever  known  before,  and 
the  reader  will  acknowledge  that  that  is  saying 
a  good  deal.  It  was  Doctor  Patten's  negro 
boy  Jonas.  He  lay  flat  behind  some  obsl ruc- 
tion near  the  water's  edge,  and  took  in  the 
whole  scene  as  if  it  had  been  a  review  arranged 
for  his  especial  benefit.  He  saw  the  waters  of 
the  Sound  splash  as  the  heavy  anchors  were 
dropped  into  them,  and  could  even  hear  the 
shrill  tones  of  the  boatswains'  pipes.  When 
darkness  came  and  shut  the  nearest  vessel  out 
from  his  view,  he  scrambled  to  his  feet  and 
hastened  toward  his  master's  house,  muttering 
under  his  breath  : 

"  Jonas  been  prayin'  hard  fur  de  Yankees  to 
come,  an'  bress  de  Lawd,  here  dey  is !  Now, 
what  Jonas  gwine  do  1" 


CHAPTER  IX. 

LOOKING   FOR  A   PILOT. 

BRIGHT  and  early  tlie  next  morning  the 
captain  of  one  of  the  twenty-seven  gun- 
boats that  were  attached  to  the  Biirnside  ex- 
pedition, came  out  of  his  cabin  to  talie  a 
breatli  of  fresh  air  before  sitting  down  to  his 
breakfast.  He  was  a  large,  full-bearded  man, 
had  a  broad  and  a  narrow  band  of  gold  lace 
around  each  sleeve  of  his  coat,  a  lieutenant's 
straps  on  his  shoulders,  and  wore  his  hands  in 
liis  pockets.  When  he  Avent  up  the  ladder 
he  lifted  his  cap  to  the  quarter-deck,  and  was 
in  turn  saluted  by  the  acting  ensign  on  watch. 

"Anything  new  or  strange  to  tell  me,  Mr. 
Robbins  ?"  asked  the  captain  carelessly. 

"  Nothing  at  all,  sir,  except  that  a  lone  con- 
traband came  off  to  us  in  a  leaky  skiff,  when 
I  first  took  charge  of  the  deck,"  was  the 
reply. 

190 


LOOKING   FOR  A   PILOT.  191 

"Does  he  know  anything?"  was  the  cap- 
tain's next  question. 

"I  did  not  interrogate  him,  sir,  only  just 
enough  to  find  out  tliat  lie  is  not  a  pilot." 

"Perhaps  he  knows  where  we  can  get  one, 
so  you  might  as  well  bring  him  aft." 

A  messenger-boy  was  sent  forward  to  obey 
this  order,  and  presently  brought  to  the  quar- 
ter-deck the  lone  contraband  of  whom  the 
ensign  had  spoken,  and  who  was  none  other 
than  Doctor  Patten's  boy  Jonas,  whom  we  saw 
watching  the  Union  vessels  from  his  hiding- 
place  on  the  beach.  The  captain  asked  him 
who  he  was  and  where  he  belonged,  what  his 
master's  politics  were,  and  why  he  ran  away 
from  him  and  came  off  to  the  fleet,  and  then 
he  said : 

"  You  told  my  officer  here  that  you  are  not 
a  pilot  for  these  waters  ;  but  you  must  know 
where  I  can  find  one.  There  ought  to  be  any 
number  of  them  on  the  mainland,  for  I  hapi)en 
to  know  that  many  of  you  black  people  make 
the  most  of  your  living  on  the  water." 

"Dat's  a  fac',  moster,"  replied  Jonas,  "but 
I  aint  no  pilot.     Dey  used  to  be  some  on  de 


192  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

mainland,  but  dey  aint  dar  now.  Dey  up  to 
de  forts  on  de  Island." 

"All  of  them?"  inquired  the  captain. 
"  Can't  j^ou  think  of  a  single  man  hereabouts 
who  knows  the  channel  through  Croatan 
Sound?" 

"Not  about  here,  I  can't,"  answered  the 
black  boy,  "an'  I  tell  you  dat  fur  de  truth. 
Dey  is  all  on  de  Island  waitin'  for  3^ou  nns  to 
come  wha'  dey  is  ;  but  dey's  two  back  in  de 
country  a  j)iece." 

"  How  far  back  in  the  countr}^,  and  who  are 
they?" 

"It's  a  right  smart  piece,  sar ;  twenty  mile 
suah,  an'  mebbe  mo'.  Name  Mahcy  Gray  an' 
Cap'n  Beardsley,  sar." 

"  Are  they  Union  or  secesh  ?" 

"Well,  sar,  dere's  Mahcy  Gray,  he's  de 
best  kind  of  a  Union  boy  ;  but  de  other  one, 
he's " 

"Boy  !  "  interrupted  the  captain.  "  I  don't 
want  any  boy  to  take  charge  of  my  ship.  This 
is  no  boy's  play,"  he  added,  returning  the 
salute  of  his  executive  officer,  who  just  then 
came  up  the  ladder.      "  If  I  understand  the 


LOOKING   FOR    A    PILOT.  193 

flag-ofRcer's  plans,  we  are  to  lead  one  division 
of  the  fleet  in  tlie  attack  ;  and  if  we  go  on  until 
we  are  aground,  and  the  division  follows  in  our 
wake,  there  will  be  the  mischief  to  pay,  for  the 
other  vessels  draw  more  water  than  we  do." 

"  Sakes  alive,  moster!  Mahcy  Gray  won't 
nebber  run  you  on  de  groun',"  exclaimed  the 
negro,  with  so  much  earnestness  in  his  tones 
that  the  captain  turned  about  and  listened  to 
Mm.  "  He  de  bes'  boy  far  de  Union  you  eber 
see,  an'  he  take  you  right  fru  de  Sound,  wid  his 
eyes  shet,  on  de  blackest  night  you  eber  was 
out  in.  But  dat  rebel  Beardsley — you  don't 
want  no  truck  wid  him.  He  know  vv^ha'  de 
deep  watah  is  mighty  well,  but  he  aint  gwine 
to  take  you  dar.  He  run  you  on  de  groun' 
suah's  yon  live  and  breatlie." 

"Never  mind  talking  about  that.  You 
called  him  captain  a  minute  ago.  What  is  he 
captain  of  ?  " 

"  Well,  sar,  moster,  previous  to  de  beginning 
of  de  wah  he  was  cap'n  ob  a  trader;  but  en- 
durin'  de  wah  he  run  a  privateer  an'  blockade 
runner  ;  de  Osprey  he  call  her." 

"What?"  exclaimed  the  gunboat  captain, 

13 


194  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

SO  suddenly  that  Jonas  jumped,  and  the  execu- 
tive and  the  officer  of  the  deck  looked  sur- 
prised. "  Did  you  call  him  Beardsley,  and  say 
that  he  commanded  the  Osprey  f  " 

"Dat's  de  name,  moster,"  replied  Jonas. 
"  He  cotch  some  Yankee  vessels  outside,  an' 
when  de  gunboats  get  too  thick  on  de  bar,  he 
take  de  two  big  guns  out,  load  up  wid  cotton, 
an'  run  de  blockade." 

"What  was  his  object  in  taking  the  guns 
out?"  inquired  the  captain;  and  the  negro 
went  on  to  explain  what  the  reader  already 
knows — that  Beardslej^  had  disarmed  and  dis- 
guised his  little  vessel  in  order  to  deceive  the 
cruisers  along  the  coast.  If  he  had  been  cap- 
tured with  nothing  but  cotton  on  board,  tlie 
Federal  authorities  would  not  be  likely  to  hang 
him  and  his  men  as  pirates,  which  they  might 
have  done  if  they  had  caught  him  Avliile  he  had 
two  howitzers  on  his  gun-deck  and  a  suiDjDly  of 
small-arms  and  ammunition  in  his  cabin.  The 
gunboat  captain  listened  attentively,  and 
seemed  very  much  impressed  by  w^hat  the 
negro  had  to  say ;  and  when  the  latter  ceased 


LOOKING   FOR   A   PILOT.  195 

speaking  he  turned  bis  back  upon  him,  and 
said  to  his  executive  officer  : 

"Mr.  Watkins,  I  have  wanted  to  meet  that 
man  for — for  an  age,  it  seems  to  me  now.  He 
is  the  villain  who  robbed  me  of  the  Mary  Hol- 
lins^  and  ironed  my  crew  like  felons — like  fel- 
ons, sir,  and  in  spite  of  my  earnest  protest." 
Then  turning  once  more  to  the  negro,  he  in- 
quired, "Can  you  guide  a  squad  of  my  men 
to  Beardsley's  house  and  Gray's  to-night? 
You  told  me,  I  believe,  that  they  live  twenty 
miles  or  more  inland." 

"Dat's  about  de  distance  of  de  journey 
you  will  have  to  travel,  sar,"  answered  Jonas. 
"I  kin  go  da',  kase  I  know  de  house  whar 
dey  resides.  But  de  cap'n  don't  live  da'  no 
more  sense  de  Union  men  riz  up  in  de  night 
an'  burn  him  out." 

"I  don't  care  how  manj^  times  he  has  been 
burned  out,  nor  who  did  it.  What  I  want  to 
know  is  if  you  can  take  my  officers  where  they 
can  put  their  hands  on  him  to-night." 

Yes ;  Jonas  was  quite  positive  he  could  do 
that. 


196  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"All  right;  bnt  look  here,  boy,"  said  the 
captain,  shaking  his  finger  at  Jonas.  "Tell 
me  the  truth  now,  or  you  will  never  see  an- 
other sunrise.  Are  there  any  rebels  ashore 
between  here  and  the  place  where  those  two 
pilots  live?" 

"Oh,  yes,  sar ;  dere's  plenty  of  dem  at 
Plymouth,  moster." 

"I  am  as  well  aware  of  that  fact  as  you 
are,"  interrupted  the  captain.  "  What  I 
want  particularly  to  know  is  if  there  are  any 
cavalry  scouting  around  Avho  would  be  likely 
to  pick  up  the  men  I  shall  probably  send 
ashore  to-night." 

"Not  now,  dey  aint,  sar;  but  a  while  ago 
dey  was  piles  of  dem.  Dey  go  round  to  all 
de  plantations  an'  tooken  away  de  black  ones 
en'  make  'em  wuk  on  de  forts.  I  wuk  on  dem 
myself." 

"Consequently  there  may  be  some  cavalry 
out  there  now,"  said  the  captain.  "But  I 
warn  you,  boy,  that  if  you  lead  my  men  among 
them " 

"Who?  Me?"  exclaimed  the  negro,  in 
accents  of  alarm.     "'Fore  de  LaAvd,   moster. 


LOOKING  FOR  A   PILOT.  197 

you  don'.t  think  Jonas  would  do  dat  ?  Why, 
sar,  Ise  been  prayin'  fur  you  uns  to  come, 
an'  so  has  all  de  black  ones.  Dem  rebels  kill 
me  suah,  if  dey  see  me  wid  de  Yankees." 

"  And  so  will  I  if  you  take  my  men  where 
the  rebels  can  get  hold  of  them  ;  so  that  will 
make  twice  you  will  be  killed.  That  will 
do  for  the  present,  but  I  may  want  to  ask  you 
some  more  questions  by  and  by.  Go  for' ad. 
Beardsley,  Beardsley  !"  continued  the  captain, 
turning  again  to  his  chief  officer,  who  wore 
an  acting-master's  uniform.  "I  remember 
that  when  I  was  a  prisoner  on  board  the 
Osprey  I  heard  one  of  the  mates  address  my 
captor  by  that  name,  and  it  somehow  runs  in 
my  mind  that  this  pilot  we  have  been  talking 
about  is  the  same  man.  I  made  the  best  ef- 
fort at  escape  that  I  could,  but  the  Hollins 
was  so  heavily  loaded  that  she  moved  through 
the  water  as  though  she  had  a  hawser  drag- 
ging over  the  stern  ;  and  besides  he  had  the 
weather  gauge  of  me.  I  showed  him  some 
pretty  fair  seamanship,  and  he  might  have 
given  me  and  my  men  kind  treatment  in  re- 
turn for  it." 


198  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"  Certainly,  sir,"  answered  the  executive. 
"A  brave  man  always  respects  a  brave  foe." 

"But  he  didn't,  Mr.  Watkins.  On  the 
contrary,  when  we  got  into  Newbern,  and  the 
mob  on  the  wharf  began  howling  and  calling 
us  names,  as  they  did  the  minute  they  caught 
sight  of  us,  Caj)tain  Beardsley  made  no  effort 
to  stop  them.  He  rather  seemed  to  enjoy  it. 
Give  me  a  chance  to  take  a  good  look  at  him 
when  he  is  brought  on  board,  and  if  he  is  the 
man  I  think  he  is,  I  want  you  to  have  him  put 
into  the  brig  without  the  loss  of  a  moment  and 
into  double-irons  besides.  That  was  the  way 
he  served  my  crew.  As  soon  as  I  have  taken 
my  coffee  I  will  go  down  and  tell  the  flag- 
officer  what  I  have  learned  and  what  I  intend 
to  do  with  his  permission  ;  so  I  shall  want  my 
gig  presently." 

The  captain  went  into  his  cabin,  and  when 
he  came  out  again,  a  short  time  afterward,  he 
was  dressed  in  full  uniform  and  wore  his  side- 
arms.  He  seemed  to  be  in  no  particular  hurry 
to  leave  the  vessel,  for  although  breakfast  had 
been  served  and  eaten,  the  long  red  meal  pen- 
nant was  still  floating  from  the  masthead,  and 


LOOKING  FOR  A   PILOT.  199 

the  blue-jackets  were  smoking  their  pipes  on 
the  forecastle  ;  but  Jonas  was  loitering  around, 
looking  as  happy  as  a  darky  always  does 
after  he  has  enjoyed  a  hearty  repast,  and 
when  he  saw  the  captain  beckoning  to  him  he 
came  aft.  What  the  Union  officer  wanted  to 
question  him  about  this  time  was  as  to  the 
quickest  and  safest  methods  that  could  be  em- 
ployed to  take  a  comjiany  of,  say  fifty  men, 
through  the  country  to  Beardsley's  house  and 
Gray's,  and  bring  them  back  to  the  fleet. 
Would  it  be  necessary  for  this  company  to 
march  overland,  or  could  it  go  the  whole  or  a 
part  of  the  way  in  boats  ?  and  was  there  any 
danger  that  the  men  would  be  forced  to  fight 
their  way  ?  Jonas  answered  all  his  questions 
as  readily  as  though  he  had  known  beforehand 
what  they  were  going  to  be  ;  and  when  the  cap- 
tain brought  the  interview  to  a  close  by  send- 
ing the  negro  forward  again,  he  held  in  his 
hand  a  rude  map  of  all  the  principal  water- 
ways that  intersected  the  mainland  south  of 
Plymouth  and  north  and  west  of  Middletown, 
and  had  learned  how  the  garrison  at  the  first- 
named    town    could    be    easily    and    safely 


200  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

avoided.  Then  he  stepped  into  his  gig,  which 
was  called  away  when  the  meal  pennant  was 
hauled  down,  and  was  taken  on  board  the  flag- 
ship. 

His  superior  officer  must  have  approved  of 
the  plans  which  Captain  Benton  (for  that  was 
the  name  of  the  Yankee  skipper  who  had  once 
been  Lon  Beardsley's  prisoner)  submitted  for 
securing  the  services  of  a  pilot  who  was  famil- 
iar with  the  waters  through  which  the  fleet 
was  to  sail  to  victory,  although  not  very  much 
was  done  toward  carrying  them  out  until  after 
dark.  The  day  was  not  a  favorable  one  for  a 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  Union  forces,  for 
a  thick  fog  came  rolling  in  from  the  sea  and 
covered  the  waters  of  the  Sound.  Once  dur- 
ing the  forenoon  it  lifted  long  enough  to  dis- 
close the  rebel  fortifications  on  the  Island,  and 
the  double  rows  of  piles  and  sunken  ships 
through  which  the  Fairy  Belle  had  sailed  a 
few  w^eeks  before,  with  Commodore  Lynch' s 
eight  boats  above,  and  then  it  settled  down 
again  thicker  than  ever.  But  two  of  the 
Union  commanders  at  least  were  not  idle,  and 
when  darkness  camj  to  conceal  its  movements, 


LOOKING  FOR  A   PILOT.  201 

tlie  expedition  wliicli  they  had  q^^ietly  pre- 
pared during  the  day  put  off  for  the  shore. 
It  consisted  of  four  cutters  filled  with  small- 
armed  men,  two  being  from  Captain  Benton's 
vessel  and  the  others  from  the  gunboat  that 
lay  next  astern.  The  work  of  securing  the 
pilots  was  to  be  done  by  two  squads  of  twenty 
men  each,  one  under  command  of  Captain  Ben- 
ton's executive  officer,  the  second  being  led  by 
an  acting  ensign  from  the  other  vessel.  Mr. 
Watkins's  boat  was  first  in  the  line  and  the 
boy  Jonas,  who  crouched  in  the  bow  of  his 
cutter,  was  tlie  guide  and  j)ilot. 

A  second  expedition,  which  put  off  from  the 
flag-ship  an  hour  later,  held  straight  for  the 
shore  and  stopped  when  it  got  there  ;  but  the 
one  in  whose  fortunes  we  are  at  present 
most  interested  did  not  stop.  It  turned  into 
the  mouth  of  a  little  river  which  was  seldom 
navigated,  even  by  the  fishing  and  trading 
boats  that  were  so  numerous  in  the  Sound. 
It  was  known  as  Middle  River ;  and  if  Jonas, 
Avho  had  lived  upon  its  banks  ever  since  he 
could  remember,  had  been  asked  how  long  it 
was  and  where  it  took  its  rise,  he  would  have 


202  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

been  obliged  to  say  that  lie  did  not  know. 
But  he  did  know  that  by  following  some  of 
its  numerous  tributaries  the  expedition  could 
pass  in  the  rear  of  the  forts  at  Plymouth  into 
Seven  Mile  Creek,  and  land  within  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  of  Captain  Beardsley's  house  and 
Marcy's.     And  that  was  just  Avhat  it  did. 

Although  the  strictest  silence  and  caution 
were  observed,  the  progress  of  the  blue-jackets 
w^as  not  as  slow  and  laborious  as  those  who 
knew  where  they  were  going  thought  it  would 
be,  and  neither  did  they  see  or  hear  anything 
to  be  afraid  of.  Only  once  during  the  long 
hours  they  passed  in  those  narrow,  crooked 
streams  did  they  hear  a  sound  to  tell  them 
where  they  were,  and  that  was  when  a  distant 
sentry  on  the  right  bank,  and  a  little  astern  of 
them,  shouted  the  number  of  his  post  and 
called  out  that  all  was  well.  Then  the  blue- 
jackets drew  a  long  breath  of  relief,  and  con- 
gratulated themselves  and  each  other  on  hav- 
ing passed  Plymouth  without  knowing  it. 
Perhaps  this  was  a  fortunate  thing  for  Jonas. 
It  might  have  frightened  the  wits  all  out  of 
him  if  he  had  dreamed  of  such  a  thing,  but 


LOOKING   FOR  A   PILOT.  203 

the  two  sailors  who  crouched  by  his  side  in 
the  leading  cutter  held  revolvers  in  their 
hands,  and  were  under  orders  to  shoot  him 
down  at  the  first  sign  of  treachery.  He  knew, 
however,  that  they  were  watching  him,  for  on 
several  occasions,  when  it  was  found  necessary 
to  change  the  course  of  the  boat  in  order  to 
follow  the  windings  of  the  stream,  they  had 
cautioned  him  to  clap  a  stopper  on  his  jaw- 
tackle  and  pass  his  instructions  aft  in  a 
whisper,  like  any  other  white  gentleman. 

"Da'  now!  Da'  now!"  said  Jonas  sud- 
denly. 

"Not  so  loud,  you  black  rascal,"  com- 
manded one  of  the  guards,  emphasizing  his 
words  with  a  crushing  grip  on  the  negro's 
shoulder.     "  What's  the  row  ?  " 

"Cap'n  Beardsley  used  to  live  right  ober 
da',  'fore  de  Union  men  riz  up  an'  burn'  him 
out,"  replied  Jonas. 

"We  don't  care  where  he  used  to  live," 
growled  the  tar.     "  Where  does  he  live  now  ?  " 

"Right  ober  da',"  repeated  the  negro. 
"  An'  you  uns  got  ter  Ian'  heah  on  de  lef-han' 
side  ob  de  bayou." 


204  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

This  information  was  duly  passed  aft  to  Mr. 
Watkins,  wlio  sat  in  the  stern-sheets  by  the 
side  of  the  coxswain,  and  the  first  cutter  was 
turned  in  toward  the  bank,  the  others  follow- 
ing close  in  her  wake.  When  Mr.  Watkins 
stepped  ashore,  he  demanded  of  Jonas  why  he 
had  landed  the  expedition  in  those  dark  woods 
where  there  was  not  a  sign  of  a  house  to  be 
seen  ;  and  the  negro  hastened  to  explain  that 
the  road  lay  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  straight 
ahead,  and  that  the  house  in  which  Beardsley 
formerly  lived  stood  on  the  other  side  of  it. 
The  drive- way,  which  ran  close  by  the  ruins  of 
the  dwelling,  led  into  a  lane  that  passed 
through  the  quarter  ;  and  there,  in  the  over- 
seer's house,  was  where  Beardsley  lived  now. 
This  much  having  been  learned,  and  a  guard 
being  left  in  charge  of  the  boats,  forty  sailors, 
with  Jonas  and  his  keepers  at  their  head,  be- 
gan threading  their  way  through  the  thick 
bushes  in  the  direction  in  which  the  road  lay. 
Twenty  minutes'  time  sufficed  to  bring  them 
to  it,  but  when  Jonas  began  giving  further  in- 
structions and  directions  Mr.  Watkins  inter- 
rupted him. 


LOOKING   FOR  A   PILOT.  205 

"  Right  da'  is  de  drive-way,"  said  he,  "an' 
down  da'  is  de  lane  dat  goes  fru  de  quarter. 
Look  out  fur  de  houn'  dogs,  an'  don't  waste  no 
time  in  foolin',  kase  Beardsley's  niggers  say 
he  mighty  timersorae  sense  you  Yankees  come 
on  de  coast,  an'  de  fust  thing  you  know  lie 
run  out  de  back  do'  an'  take  to  de  bresh. 
Now,  sar,  moster " 

"Take  the  boy  with  you  and  go  ahead,  Mr. 
Burnham,"  commanded  the  executive  officer. 
"And  it  might  be  well  for  you  to  act  ujion 
the  hint  he  has  given,  and  surround  the  house 
as  quickly  and  quietly  as  possible.  Remem- 
ber the  signal,  and  when  you  are  done  Avith 
the  boy  send  him  back  to  me  under  guard." 

In  obedience  to  these  orders  Mr.  Burnham' s 
squad  moved  through  the  open  gate  at  a  quick 
but  noiseless  pace,  Jonas  and  his  keepers  lead- 
ing the  way,  and  in  a  few  minutes  disappeared 
in  the  darkness.  Ten  minutes  were  passed  in 
silence,  and  then  the  angry  protests  of  a  small 
army  of  dogs,  mingled  with  the  doleful  yelps 
of  one  which  had  been  knocked  endways  by  a 
savage  blow  from  the  butt  of  a  Spencer  carbine 
in  the  hands  of  a  blue-jacket,  whom  he  had 


206  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

tried  to  seize  by  the  tliroat,  arose  on  the  still 
air,  being  almost  immediately  followed  by  a 
single  shrill  note  from  a  boatswain's  w^histle. 
This  was  the  signal  agreed  upon,  and  it 
brought  to  Mr.  Watkins'  ears  the  intelligence 
that  if  Captain  Beardsley  was  in  his  house,  he 
was  now  shut  up  in  it  and  could  not  escape. 
In  less  than  ten  minutes  more  Jonas  and  his 
two  guards  were  heard  coming  back  along  the 
drive- way  at  double-quick ;  whereupon  Mr. 
Watkins' s  own  squad,  which  up  to  this  time 
had  remained  motionless  in  the  road,  set 
out  at  a  brisk  walk  for  Mrs.  Gray's  dwell- 
ing. 

"This  is  the  place  where  the  Union  pilot 
lives,  is  it  ? "  said  Mr.  Watkins,  when  Jonas 
halted  and  pointed  out  the  house. 

"  Yes,  sar,  moster,  dat's  de  place.  No  dogs 
heah  to  pester  you,  kase  ole  Bose  done  killed 
by  de  robbers.  I  speck  Mahcy  Gray  mighty 
dubersome  sense  dem  robbers  been  heah,  an' 
mebbe  he  fight ;  but  you  uns  luf  Jonas  talk 
to  him,  an'  dem  you  see  him  open  de  front  do' 
too  quick.  No  need  to  circumroun'  dis  house. 
Marse  Mahcy  aint  gwine  run  off." 


LOOKING   FOR  A   PILOT.  207 

Mr.  Watkins's  men  were  moving  toward 
the  house  while  the  negro  was  talking  in  this 
way,  and  now  they  were  drawn  up  in  line  in 
front  of  the  gallery  by  the  master's  mate,  who 
was  second  in  command,  while  Mr.  Watkins 
mounted  the  steps  and  pounded  upon  the  door 
with  such  effect  that  he  awoke  echoes  in  all 
the  wide  halls.  The  startling  summons  fright- 
ened old  Morris  so  badly  that  he  drew  his  head 
under  the  bed-clothes;  sent  Julius  like  a  shot 
out  of  the  back  window  and  scurrying  bare- 
legged through  the  garden  ;  reached  the  ears  of 
a  pale  but  resolute  woman,  who  hastily  began 
arraying  herself  in  such  garments  as  she  could 
find  in  the  dark,  and  brought  out  of  bed  an  ex- 
cited, determined  boy  who  opened  an  upper 
window  with  a  crash,  and  shoved  the  muzzles  of 
two  heavy  revolvers  down  at  the  blue-jackets. 
This  was  Marcy  Gray.  When  his  eye  fell  upon 
the  double  line  of  men  in  front  of  the  house  he 
made  up  his  mind  that  the  robbers  had  come 
out  in  full  force  this  time. 

"  Get  out  of  that,  or  I  will  blow  some  of  you 
to  kingdom  come  !  "  said  he,  without  a  quiver 
in  his  voice.     "One — two " 


208  •  MAHCY,    THE   IlEFUGEE. 

"Avast  there!"  exclaimed  the  master's 
mate. 

*'  Don't  shoot,  MarseMahcy,  honey  !  "  cried 
Jonas,  who  thought  that  both  the  revolvers 
were  pointed  straight  at  his  own  head.  "  Dese 
yer  folks  all  Yankees,  sar ;  all  Yankees  de 
las'  blessed  one  ob  'em,  sar." 

"Jonas,  is  that  you?  "  said  Marcy,  who 
could  scarcely  believe  his  ears.  "What 
brought  you  here  at  this  hour  of  the  night,  and 
how  came  you  in  the  company  of  such  a  gang 
as  that?" 

"  If  you  are  Marcy  Gray,  I  beg  to  assure  you 
that  we  are  here  for  no  evil  purpose,"  said  Mr. 
Watkins,  who  now  came  down  from  the  porch 
and  looked  up  at  the  boy.  "  We  want  to  see 
you  particularly.  Come  down,  if  you  please, 
and  let  me  explain." 

"You're  quite  sure  you  are  Union,  are 
you?"  said  Marcy,  who,  at  first,  could  not 
make  up  his  mind  that  this  was  not  a  ruse  on 
the  part  of  lawless  men  to  gain  admission  to 
the  house  ;  but,  on  second  thought,  he  con- 
cluded that  it  was  not,  for,  if  they  had  been 
determined  to  come  in,  they  could  have  done 


LOOKING  FOR  A   PILOT.  209 

it  by  breaking  down  the  doors,  or  smashing 
the  windows,  and  that,  too,  without  taking  the 
trouble  to  call  him  and  his  mother. 

"We  are  quite  positive  on  that  point,"  an- 
swered Mr.  Watkins.  "We  belong  to  the 
Burnside  expedition.  You  knew  we  were  in 
the  Sound,  I  suppose  ?" 

"  I  am  satisfied,  and  will  be  down  while  you 
are  thinking  about  it,"  said  Marcy,  slamming 
the  window,  and  hastening  back  to  his  room. 

He  lingered  there  long  enough  to  put  on  a 
few  articles  of  clothing,  and  then  ran  down 
the  stairs  with  a  lighted  lamp  in  his  hand.  In 
the  lower  hall  he  found  his  mother,  who  was 
bravely  striving  to  nerve  herself  to  face  some- 
thing more  dreadful  than  she  had  yet  experi- 
enced. She  had  heard  Marcy  talking  to  the 
men  who  were  gathered  in  front  of  the  house, 
and,  although  she  had  not  been  able  to  catch 
any  of  the  words  that  passed  between  them, 
she  was  somewhat  reassured  when  she  looked 
into  her  son's  beaming  face. 

"Who  are  they?"  she  asked  calmly. 
"Surely  they  do  not  act  like  the  robbers, 

who " 

14 


210  MAKCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

"They  are  Yankees  from  the  fleet,  and  want 
to  see  me  about  something,"  was  the  excited 
reply.  "Will  you  take  this  lamp  into  the 
parlor  while  I  admit  them  ?  " 

Certainly  his  mother  would  do  that ;  but 
what  could  the  Yankees  want  of  Marcy  at  that 
time  of  night,  and  how  did  they  hear  of  him, 
in  the  first  place,  and  find  out  where  he 
lived  ? 

"Doctor  Patten's  boy,  Jonas,  told  them, 
most  likely  ;  but  when  and  where  they  picked 
him  up  beats  me.  I  can't  imagine  Avhat  they 
want,  either  ;  but  I  will  open  the  door  for  them 
as  readily  as  I  would  for  Jack,"  replied  Marcy; 
and,  as  his  mother  turned  into  the  parlor  with 
the  lamp,  he  went  down  the  hall  to  the  front 
door. 

"Are  you  Marcy  Gray,  the  pilot?  "  inquired 
Mr.  Watkins,  as  the  two  saluted  each  other, 
instead  of  shaking  hands, 

"  Caesar's  ghost !  "  was  the  ejaculation  that 
trembled  on  the  boy's  lips  ;  and  then  he  won- 
dered if  he  was  to  be  arrested  for  acting  as 
pilot  for  Captain  Beardsley's  privateer  and 
blockade  runner. 


LOOKING   FOR  A   PILOT.  211 

"  Because,  if  you  are,  you  are  the  man  I  want 
to  see,"  continued  the  officer. 

"  Will  you  come  in  ? "  answered  Marcy,  who 
thought  it  best  to  hold  his  j)eace  until  he  had 
received  some  insight  into  the  nature  of  the 
business  that  had  brought  his  visitor  there. 

The  latter  complied,  and,  when  he  entered 
the  parlor,  was  rather  taken  aback  to  find  a 
dignified  lady  there.  He  saluted  her  cour- 
teously, and,  without  intending  to  do  so,  added 
to  her  fears  at  the  same  time  that  he  explained 
his  errand,  by  saying  : 

"I  beg  a  thousand  pardons,  madam,  for  in- 
truding upon  your  privacy  at  this  unseemly 
hour ;  but  the  truth  is,  our  fleet  has  gone  as 
far  toward  the  enemy  as  it  can  go  without  the 
aid  of  pilots  to  direct  its  movements.  The 
name  of  Marcy  Gray  has  been  mentioned  to 
my  commander,  Captain  Benton,  and  I  am 
here  to  secure  his  services." 

"Oh,  sir!"  cried  Mrs.  Gray,  clasping  her 
hands  appealingly.  "  Would  you  cruelly  rob 
me  of  the  only  son  I  have  left,  and  take  him 
into  battle  1  He  has  already  been  sadly  injured 
during  this  terrible  war." 


212  MAECY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

The  fact  that  Marcy  carried  one  of  his  arms 
in  a  sling  had  not  escaped  the  notice  of  tlie 
officer,  and  now  he  looked  at  the  boy  rather 
sharply.  There  was  but  one  conclusion  to  be 
drawn,  he  told  himself  :  If  Marcy  got  that 
wounded  arm  in  battle,  he  must  have  been 
fighting  on  the  Confederate  side. 

"I  was  not  aware  that  the  young  man  was 
in  the  service,"  said  he  coldly.  "I  thought 
he  was  Union." 

"And  so  I  am,"  exclaimed  Marcy.  "I 
have  a  brother  in  your  service,  and  he  is 
aboard  one  of  your  gunboats  at  this  moment. 
I  know,  for  I  took  him  out  to  the  fleet  before 
the  fortifications  at  Roanoke  Island  were  com- 
pleted. Did  3^ou  speak  of  a  Captain  Benton 
just  now  ?  I  once  met  a  sea-captain  of  that 
name,  but  of  course  the  commander  of  a  Union 
war-ship  can't  be  the  man  I  saw  insulted  and 
abused  by  a  mob  in  Nevvbern." 

"How  and  when  did  that  happen?"  de- 
manded the  officer,  his  face  exhibiting  the 
j)rofoundest  interest. 

"  It  v/as  when  the  crew  of  the  prize-schooner 
Mary  HolUns  were  marched  off  to  jail,"  re- 
plied Marcy.     "  It  was  no  fault  of  mine  that  I 


LOOKING   FOR   A   PILOT.  213 

saw  them  captured,  for  I  am  Union  to  the 
backbone.  I  have  been  persecuted  on  account 
of  my  i)rinciples " 

"My  lad,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Watkins,  taking 
Marcy's  uninjured  hand  in  both  his  own, 
"were  you  on  the  Osprey  when  she  made  a 
prize  of  the  schooner  Hollins  f  " 

"  I  was,"  answered  Marcy,  becoming  as  ex- 
cited as  the  officer  appeared  to  be,  "I  passed 
as  her  pilot  and  drew  pay  as  such  ;  but  I  did 
duty  as  foremast  hand  most  of  the  time,  and 
sailed  on  her  because  I  could  not  help  myself. 
May  I  ask  if  you  know  anything  about  it  ?  I  do 
not  remember  of  seeing  you  among  the  crew." 

"I  know  all  about  it  although  I  wasn't 
there,"  answered  Mr.  Watkins,  whose  aston- 
ishment would  scarcely  i)ermit  him  to  speak 
plainly.  "  My  commander,  Captain  Benton, 
was  master  of  the  Mary  Hollins  at  the  time 
she  was  captured  by  that  pirate.  He  is  now 
acting  volunteer  lieutenant  in  the  navy  of  the 
United  States,  and  commands  one  of  the 
finest  vessels  in  Flag-officer  Goklsborough's 
squadron," 

Marcy  Gray  had  never  been  more  amazed  in 
his  life. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BEARDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE. 

THE  profound  silence  that  reigned  in  the 
room  for  a  minute  or  two  after  Mr.  Wat- 
kins  made  his  extraordinary  announcement, 
was  broken  at  last  by  Marcy  Gray,  who  ex- 
claimed eagerly  : 

"  If  that  is  the  man  who  wants  to  see  me,  I 
hope  you  will  take  me  to  him  at  once.  I 
have  wanted  to  meet  him  ever  since  that  miser- 
able day  when  I  stood  by  and  saw  him  make  his 
gallant  attempt  at  escape,  for  I  have  seventeen 
hundred  dollars  that  belong  to  him — my  share 
of  the  prize  money  his  schooner  sold  for,  you 
know,  captain." 

"  Mister,  if  you  please,"  said  the  officer,  with 
a  smile.  "I  used  to  be  captain  in  the  mer- 
chant marine,  but  am  now  executive  officer  of 
Caj)tain  Benton's  vessel,  and  am  simply  Mr. 
Watkins." 

214 


BEARDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE.  215 

"Mr.  Watkins,"  interposed  Mrs.  Gray,  "my 
son  has  saved  all  the  money  that  came  to  him 
through  the  sale  of  the  Holliiis,  and  longed 
for  and  dreamed  of  the  day  when  he  could  re- 
store it  to  its  lawful  owner.  When  Captain 
Beardsley  turned  his  privateer  into  a  blockade 
runner  Marcy  refused  to  take  out  a  venture, 
though  by  so  doing  he  might  have  made  his 
seventeen  hundred  dollars  of  X)rize  money  bring 
him  five  thousand  more.  Captain  Benton's 
money  is  safe,  and  he  will  receive  it  in  the 
same  shape  in  which  it  was  paid  to  my  son. 
But,  sir,"  added  Mrs.  Gray,  seeing  that  the 
officer  did  not  occupy  the  chair  that  had  been 
placed  for  him,  "I  trust  you  will  not  find  it 
necessary  to  take  Marcj^  into  battle." 

"  I  really  cannot  see  anyway  in  which  it  can 
be  avoided,  madam,"  said  Mr.  Watkins  truth- 
fully. "There  is  bound  to  be  a  fight  if  the 
enemy  stands  his  ground,  and  my  vessel  will 
be  one  of  the  foremost  in  it.  But  I  hope  you 
understand  that  we  do  not  mean  to  keep  him 
with  us  unless  he  wants  to  stay.  He  will  be  at 
liberty  to  return  to  you  as  soon  as  his  services 
can  be  dispensed  with." 


216  MAECY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

"Yes,  sir,  I  understand  that,"  said  the 
mother  tearfully.  "But  a  stray  bullet  or  a 
shell  will  be  as  likely  to  strike  a  non-comba- 
tant as  any  one  else.  I  have  given  one  son  to 
the  service  of  his  country,  and  I  can  give  an- 
other ;  but  when  you  take  Marcy  you  take  all 
I  have." 

The  officer  drew  his  hand  across  his  eyes,  as 
if  brushing  away  a  mist  that  was  gathering 
there,  and  looked  up  at  a  painting  over  the 
mantel ;  while  Marcy,  knowing  that  the  part- 
ing must  come,  and  that  it  would  be  better  to 
have  it  over  as  speedily  as  possible,  began  to 
bestir  himself. 

"  I  will  have  the  money  dug  up  right  now," 
said  he.  "  And,  mother,  while  lam  doing  that, 
will  you  bring  down  my  Union  flag — not  the 
weather-beaten  one,  but  the  other  that  I 
hoisted  on  the  Fairy  Belle  when  I  took  Jack 
out  to  the  fleet." 

"  I  little  expected  to  find  a  Union  flag  down 
here,"  said  Mr.  Watkins,  who  was  very  much 
surprised.  "I  should  think  you  would  find  it 
dangerous  to  keep  one." 

"So  we  would  if  the  people  around   here 


BEARDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE.  217 

knew  it  was  in  the  house,"  replied  Marcy. 
"But  that  is  something  we  don't  publish. 
Your  men  will  not  bother  me  if  I  go  into  the 
garden,  will  they  ?  " 

"I  will  see  that  they  don't,"  was  the  an- 
swer ;  and,  while  Marcy  went  out  of  the  back 
door  as  if  he  had  been  thrown  from  a  catapult, 
Mr.  Watkins  went  out  at  the  front,  and  Mrs. 
Gray  hastened  to  her  son's  room  with  a  pair  of 
scissors  in  her  hand.  Marcy  went  to  the  coach- 
man's  cabin  and  felt  for  the  latch-string;  but 
it  had  been  pulled  in,  and  that  proved  that  old 
Morris  was  inside.  He  pounded  upon  the  door, 
and  called  the  black  man's  name  impa- 
tiently. 

"O  Lawd!  Who  dat  ? "  came  in  muffled 
tones  from  under  the  blankets. 

Before  Marcy  could  answer  Julius  glided 
around  the  corner  of  the  cabin,  lool^ing  lils.e  a 
small  black  ghost  very  scantily  clad  in  white. 
He  had  been  brave  enough  when  the  robbers 
made  their  raid  upon  the  house  and  there  was 
a  strong  force  of  Union  men  to  back  him  uj), 
but  now  that  he  thought  the  robbers  had  come 
again  to  finish  their  work,  when  Aleck  Web- 


218  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ster  and  liis  friends  were  not  at  hand  to  lend 
assistance,  lie  was  very  badly  frightened. 

"I  don't  suppose  Morris  will  get  up  and  let 
me  in,  but  you  will  do  as  well  as  anybody," 
said  Marcy.  "Get  a  spade,  quick,  and  come 
with  me.  No,  they  are  not  robbers.  They 
are  Yankees,  and  I  am  to  go  to  the  fleet  with 
them  ;  and  that  is  all  I  can  tell  you.  Hurry 
up." 

While  Julius  was  digging  in  one  of  Mrs. 
Gray's  flower-beds  under  Marcy' s  supervision, 
and  the  quilt  on  his  bed  was  being  ripped  to 
pieces,  Mr.  Watkins  was  standing  in  the  front 
yard,  telling  the  master's  mate  what  he  had 
seen  and  heard  in  the  house.  The  young  offi- 
cer was  astonished,  and  declared  he  had  never 
dreamed  that  there  was  such  Union  sentiment 
anywhere  in  the  South. 

"I  did  not  believe  there  was  either,  though 
I  have  often  heard  of  it,"  replied  Mr.  Wat- 
kins,  "but  I  believe  it  now.  It  is  easy  enough 
for  us  who  are  surrounded  by  loyal  people  to 
swear  by  the  old  flag,  but  I  tell  you  it  must 
take  pluck  and  plenty  of  it  to  do  it  down  here. 


BEARDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE.  219 

I  wish  some  one  else  had  been  ordered  to  do 
this  work,  for  I  have  taken  her  last  prop 
away  from  that  poor  woman  in  there.  Slie  is 
a  heroine ;  and  as  for  the  boy,  he  is  as  true  as 
steel,  and  as  brave  as  they  make  them.  One 
can't  look  in  his  face  and  think  anything  else 
of  him.  He  has  gone  to  dig  up  the  cax)tain's 
money  and  will  be  along  directly.  I  never 
thought  to  ask  him  how  he  got  his  Land 
hurt." 

While  the  officer  was  adding  to  his  subor- 
dinate's sur];)rise  by  telling  how  completely 
Lon  Beardsley  had  reduced  Captain  Benton  to 
poverty  by  taking  the  Hollins  from  him,  Mrs. 
Gray  came  down  the  steps  with  Marcy's  flag 
in  her  hand  and  followed  by  three  laughing 
darkies,  who  brought  with  them  large  trays 
loaded  with  something  good  to  eat  and  drink — 
bread  and  butter,  cold  meat,  and  pitchers  filled 
to  the  brim  with  the  richest  of  milk.  While 
the  hungry  gunboat  men  were  regaling  them- 
selves and  wondering  at  such  treatment  from 
Southerners,  all  of  whom  they  supj)osed  to  be 
the  most  implacable  and  violent  of  rebels,  Mrs. 


220  MARCT,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Gray  shook  out  tlie  folds  of  the  flag,  and 
spread  it  upon  the  wall  where  they  could  all 
see  it.  The  unexx^ected  sight  thrilled  them, 
and  every  cap  was  lifted. 

"  If  things  wasn't  just  as  they  are,  missus," 
said  one,  "  we'd  give  it  a  cheer  ;  asking  your 
pardon  and  the  deck's  for  speaking  when  I 
wasn't  spoke  to." 

"  But  our  guns  will  cheer  it  in  the  morning, 
and  they  will  make  more  noise  than  we 
could,"  observed  another.  "Likewise  asking 
pardon  for  sx")eaking." 

At  this  moment  Marcy  appeared,  bundled 
up  ready  for  his  trip  to  the  coast,  and  carrying 
in  his  hand  a  valise,  which  contained,  among 
other  things,  the  box  that  held  Captain  Ben- 
ton's money.  It  was  all  in  gold,  too;  for  at 
that  time  gold  was  as  plenty  as  scrip  in  the 
Confederacy,  and  Captain  Beardsley,  ignorant 
as  he  was  on  some  points,  was  much  too 
shrewd  a  man  of  business  to  take  jiaper  money 
when  he  could  have  what  he  called  the  "hard 
stuff"  for  the  asking.  Had  the  Jlollins  been 
captured  one  short  year  later,  Marcy  would 
have  been  obliged  to  take  his  share  of  the  prize 


BEAKDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE.  221 

money  in  scrip,  and  Captain  Benton  might 
have  thought  himself  lucky  if  he  had  received 
twenty  cents  on  the  dollar. 

When  the  blue-jackets  had  disposed  of 
everything  there  was  on  the  trays,  either  by 
eating  it  themselves  or  putting  it  into  the 
bosom  of  their  shirts,  to  be  divided  with  the 
guards  who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  the 
boats,  and  Marcy  had  stowed  his  Union  flag  in 
his  valise,  there  was  nothing  to  detain  them 
longer.  The  master's  mate  marched  the 
squad  away  while  Mr.  Watkins  lingered  a 
moment,  cap  in  hand,  to  say  good-by  to  the 
woman  whose  quiet  courage  had  excited  his 
admiration. 

"Take  good  care  of  my  boy,  sir,"  said  Mrs. 
Gray,  as  if  she  thought  the  officer  could  give 
Marcy  a  safe  station  in  action,  or  protect  him 
from  the  shot  and  shell  that  would  soon  be 
shrieking  about  his  ears.  "Remember  he  is 
all  I  have  to  give  you." 

"Til  have  an  eye  upon  him,  madam,  and 
upon  your  other  boy  as  well,  when  I  find  out 
where  he  is,"  replied  Mr.  Watkins.  "We 
are  not  pressing  men  into  our  service,  and  I 


222  MAllCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

know  I  can  safely  say  that  Marcy  will  be  per- 
mitted to  return  to  his  home  as  soon  as  we  can 
get  along  without  him." 

"  I  shall  have  that  promise  to  console  me 
during  his  absence,"  said  Mrs.  Gray.  "Good- 
by,  Marcy.  When  you  come  back  to  me  I 
want  you  to  be  able  to  say  that  you  did  your 
duty.  Oh,  is  there  no  way  in  which  this 
dreadful  state  of  affairs  can  be  brought  to  an 
end?"  she  cried,  once  more  giving  way  to  her 
tears  when  she  felt  Marcy' s  arm  closing  around 
her  waist. 

"Certainly  there  is,"  answered  the  officer. 
"The  Richmond  authorities  can  end  this  war 
in  an  hour  by  telling  their  soldiers  to  lay  down 
their  arms  and  stop  fighting  the  government. 
That  would  be  an  easy  thing  for  them  to  do, 
and  it  is  all  we  ask  of  them.  Good-by,  Mrs. 
Gray.  I  trust  we  may  meet  again  under  pleas- 
anter  circumstances." 

The  executive  turned  away  as  he  spoke,  leav- 
ing the  young  pilot  alone  with  his  mother. 
He  did  not  prolong  the  leave-taking,  but 
brought  it  to  an  end  as  quickly  as  he  could, 
shook    hands  with  the   three   darkies,  whose 


BEAEDSLEY  IN  TROUBLE.        223 

laughter  was  now  changed  to  weeping,  looked 
around  for  Morris  and  Julius,  neither  of  whom 
was  in  sight,  and  in  two  minutes  more  was 
marching  by  Mr.  Watkins's  side  along  the  road 
that  led  past  the  ruins  of  Captain  Beardsley's 
house.  If  Marcy  remembered  that  his  old 
captain  was  one  of  the  best  pilots  for  those 
waters  that  could  be  found  anywhere  he  did 
not  think  to  speak  of  it,  nor  did  he  take  more 
than  passing  note  of  the  fact  that  there  was 
another  squad  of  sailors  standing  in  the  road 
in  front  of  Beardsley's  gate.  They  seemed  to 
be  waiting  for  Mr.  Watkins,  for  an  officer 
walked  up  and  exchanged  a  few  low,  hurried 
words  with  him.  Marcy  afterward  thought 
that  the  barking  of  Beardsley's  dogs,  and  the 
shrill  frightened  voices  of  the  house  servants 
and  field-hands  which  came  faintly  from  the 
direction  of  the  quarter,  ought  to  have  told 
him  that  something  unusual  had  been  going  on 
there,  but  he  did  not  jDay  very  much  attention 
to  the  sounds.  He  was  thinking  of  his  mother. 
"Very  good,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Watkins,  in  re- 
sponse to  the  officer's  whispered  communica- 
tion.    "  Make  all  haste  to  the  boats  and  shove 


224  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

off  ;  but  preserve  silence,  and  keep  the  line  well 
closed  up." 

The  officer,  accomxmnied  by  Doctor  Patten's 
boy  Jonas,  went  back  to  his  own  squad,  which 
at  once  moved  into  the  woods.  That  of  Mr. 
Watkins  immediately  followed,  led  by  the  mas- 
ter's mate,  the  executive  and  Marcy  bringing 
up  the  rear  as  before  ;  but  it  was  not  until  the 
men  were  all  embarked  and  the  four  boats  were 
well  on  their  way  down  the  creek,  that  they 
had  opportunity  to  exchange  a  word  with  each 
other.  Mr.  Watkins' s  cutter  led  the  way, 
Jonas  occupying  his  old  place  in  the  bow,  and 
passing  his  instructions  to  the  coxswain  in  a 
wliisper.  The  sailors  bent  to  their  work  with 
a  will,  and  the  boats  moved  swiftly  on  their 
course ;  but  the  muffled  oars  were  dipped  so 
carefully,  and  feathered  so  neatly,  that  there 
was  no  sound  heard  save  the  slight  swishing 
of  the  water  alongside.  Feeling  entirely  satis- 
fied with  the  way  in  which  he  had  carried  out 
the  instructions  of  his  superior,  Mr.  Watkins 
settled  back  on  his  elbow  in  the  stern-sheets 
and  addressed  Marcy  in  low  and  guarded 
tones. 


BEARDSLEY  IN  TROUBLE.        225 

*'I  remarked  to  one  of  my  officers  a  short 
time  ago  that  it  must  take  courage,  and  plenty 
of  it,  to  be  loyal  in  this  country ;  and  I  told 
the  truth,  did  I  not  ?  "  he  whispered. 

"One  has  to  be  more  than  brave  to  be  true 
to  his  colors  in  this  section,"  replied  Marcy. 
"  He  has  to  be  deceitful.  I  can  satisf j^  you  of 
that,  if  you  think  a  few  scraps  of  my  personal 
history  would  be  of  interest  to  you." 

Mr.  Watkins  answered  that  nothing  would 
suit  him  better  than  to  hear,  from  the  lips  of 
one  who  knew  all  about  it,  how  the  Union 
people,  if  there  were  any  in  that  country  be- 
sides his  own  family,  managed  to  live  among 
their  rebel  neighbors  ;  and  Marcy  began  and 
told  his  story,  but  not  quite  so  fully  as  the 
reader  knows  it.  He  did  not  have  time  to  do 
that,  and  besides  he  was  too  modest ;  but  he 
easily  brought  his  auditor  to  believe  that  the 
arm  he  carried  in  a  sling  had  not  been  injured 
while  its  owner  was  fighting  on  the  Confeder- 
ate side,  and  also  showed  him  that  he  had 
more  reason  to  stand  in  fear  of  Captain  Beards- 
ley  than  of  any  other  man  in  the  settlement. 

"  What  worries  me  just  now  is  the  fear  that 

15 


226  MA  lie Y,    THE    KEFUGEE, 

Beardsley  will  in  some  way  find  out  that  you 
Yankees  have  taken  me  from  my  mother's 
house  to  help  your  vessels  through  Croatan 
Sound,"  said  Marcy,  who  little  dreamed  that 
Captain  Beardsley  had  been  taken  from  his 
own  bed  for  the  same  purpose,  and  was  at  that 
very  moment  a  prisoner  in  one  of  the  boats 
that  followed  astern.  The  night  was  so  dark 
that  Marcy  could  not  have  recognized  the  man 
if  he  had  looked  straight  at  him ;  and  if 
Beardsley  had  seen  and  recognized  Marcy, 
when  the  two  squads  came  together  and  got 
into  the  boats  on  the  bank  in  front  of  his 
house,  he  had  made  no  sign.  And  w^e  may 
add  here  that  the  privateer  captain  had  not 
been  treated  by  his  captors  with  the  same 
kindness  and  consideration  that  Marcy  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  Mr.  Watkins.  The  men 
who  surrounded  his  house,  who  followed  him 
to  his  hiding-place  in  the  cellar  and  dragged 
him  out  by  main  strength,  knew  that  he 
was  a  rebel  who  hadn't  the  manhood  to  treat 
his  prisoners  with  any  degree  of  kindness,  and 
Avhen  Beardsley  frantically  resisted  them  and 
yelled  to  his  darkies  to  put  the  dogs  on  to  the 


BEAKDSLEY  IN  TKOUBLE.        227 

Yankees,  the  boatswain's  mate  who  held  him 
said  that,  if  he  opened  his  mouth  again  in  that 
fashion,  he  would  make  what  little  light  there 
was  in  the  cellar  shine  straight  through  the 
captive's  head.  This  threat  kept  Beardsley 
quiet,  and  he  would  not  have  dared  to  say 
anything  to  Marcy  if  he  had  had  the  opportu- 
nity ;  but  he  had  a  good  deal  to  say  about  him 
after  he  got  home. 

"If  you  whip  the  rebels  at  Roanoke  Island 
and  let  me  go  among  my  friends  again,  that 
man  will  make  me  no  end  of  trouble,"  said 
Marcy,  in  conclusion,  "He  will  declare  that 
I  went  aboard  of  you  of  my  own  free  will,  and 
did  all  I  could  to  help  you  through  the  Sound. 
It  will  be  pretty  near  the  truth,  but  all  the 
same  I  don't  want  the  story  to  get  wind  in  the 
settlement." 

"He  is  about  the  meanest  two-for-a-cent 
outfit  that  I  ever  heard  of,"  said  Mr.  Watkins, 
in  a  tone  of  disgust.  "  I  am  glad  you  told  me 
all  this,  and  will  be  sure  to  bear  it  in  mind. 
But  yours  is  not  the  only  Union  family  in  this 
country,  I  hope?" 

Oh,  no,  Marcy  said  in  reply.      There  were 


228  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

many  who  professed  to  be  Union,  and  as  many 
more  who  had  little  or  nothing  to  say  about  it 
one  way  or  the  other.  The  latter  were  the 
real  Union  people.  Some  of  them  held  secret 
meetings  in  the  swamp,  and  had  rid  Marcy's 
mother  of  the  presence  of  one  of  her  meanest 
and  most  dangerous  enemies  by  coming  to  her 
plantation  one  night  and  carrying  away  the 
overseer.  They  also  captured  the  four  men 
who  raided  his  mother's  house  with  the  inten- 
tion of  robbing  it,  and  had  given  Marcy  to 
understand  that  they  were  keeping  a  watchful 
eye  upon  him  and  would  23unisli  any  one  who 
persecuted  him  or  his  mother.  While  he  was 
telling  this  part  of  his  story  another  faint  call 
from  a  far-away  sentry  gave  to  Mr,  Watkins 
the  gratifying  intelligence  that  Plymouth  had 
once  more  been  passed  in  safety.  Why  these 
convenient  rear  water-ways  were  not  more 
closely  guarded  by  the  Plymouth  garrison  it 
is  hard  to  tell.  Perhaps  it  was  because  they 
thought  the  Yankees  would  not  venture  to 
penetrate  so  far  inland  in  small  boats.  They 
learned  better  when  Gushing  sunk  the  Albe- 
marle, 


BEARDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE.  229 

There  was  little  current  in  the  river  to  help 
the  cutters  on  their  journey,  but  the  ebb  tide 
presently  came  to  their  assistance,  and  under 
its  inHuence  they  went  on  their  way  with  in- 
creased speed ;  still  it  was  almost  daylight 
when  Mr.  Watkins's  cutter  and  the  two  immedi- 
ately astern  of  it  drew  up  to  the  gangway  on 
the  starboard  quarter  of  Captain  Benton's 
vessel.  The  executive  officer  and  Marcy 
stepped  first  upon  the  grating,  and  Beardsley 
and  the  acting  ensign  wlio  commanded  the 
second  cutter  followed  them  up  the  side  to  the 
deck,  where  Caj)tain  Benton  was  waiting  to 
receive  them, 

"I  am  aboard,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Watkins, 
placing  his  hand  to  his  cap,  "and  have  the 
honor  to  report  that  your  orders  have  been 
carried  out  to  the  letter.  These  are  the  jpilots 
I  was  instructed  to  bring." 

"  Very  good,  sir,"  replied  the  captain. 

At  the  word  "pilots"  Marcy  Gray  turned 
his  head  to  see  where  and  who  the  other  one 
was,  and  his  amazement  knew  no  bounds  when 
he  saw  Captain  Beardsley' s  eyes  looking  into 
his  own.     His  old  commander  was  startled  too ; 


230  MAKCY,    TUB   REFUGEE. 

for  up  to  this  moment  lie  supposed  that  the 
object  of  the  expedition  was  to  capture  him 
alone.  And  if  he  was  ill  at  ease  to  know  that 
he  was  wholly  in  the  power  of  men  whose  flag 
he  had  insulted,  he  was  terribly  frightened 
when  he  found  himself  confronted  by  Marcy 
Gray.  The  latter  knew  too  much  about  him 
and  his  business,  for  hadn't  he  as  good  as  con- 
fessed in  the  boy's  presence  that  he  had  been 
a  smuggler  ?  If  Marcy  remembered  that  fatal 
admission  and  felt  in  the  humor  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  it,  there  was  likely  to  be  trouble  in 
store  for  him.  The  man  saw  that  very  clearly, 
even  before  the  gunboat  captain  turned  his 
steady  gaze  upon  him.  Then  Beardsley  wished 
that  the  deck  might  open  under  his  feet  and 
let  him  down  into  the  hold.  He  cringed  a 
moment,  like  the  coward  he  was,  and  then 
tried  to  call  a  smile  to  his  face.  He  remem- 
bered his  old  prisoner,  the  master  of  the  Mary 
Holliiis,  and  acting  upon  the  first  thought  that 
came  into  his  mind,  he  took  a  step  forward  as 
if  he  would  have  shaken  hands  with  him  ;  but 
Captain  Benton  turned  on  his  heel  and  walked 
away.     This  movement  must  have  served  as  a 


BEARDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE.  231 

signal  to  somebody,  for  there  was  a  slight  but 
ominous  jingling  of  chains  close  by,  and  the 
master  at  arms  clasped  a  pair  of  irons  about 
Beardsley's  wrists  before  he  could  raise  a 
finger  to  prevent  it.  The  touch  of  the  cold 
metal  aroused  him  almost  to  frenzy, 

"Take  'em  off !  In  the  name  and  by  the  au- 
thority of  the  Confederate  States  of  Ameriky 
I  pertest  agin  this  outrage!"  yelled 
Beardsley,  hardly  knowing  what  he  said  in 
his  excitement.  "  Marcy  Gray,  aint  I  always 
stood  your  friend  and  your  mother's  too,  and 
are  you  going  to  keep  as  dumb  as  an  oyster 
while  this  indignity  is  being  put  upon  your 
old  cap'n?  Take  the  dog-gone  things  off,  I 
say !  I  aint  in  the  service,  and  you  aint  got 
no  right  to  slap  me  in  irons  when  I  aint  done 
the  first  thing  agin  you  or  your  laws,  either. 
No,  I  won't  keep  still  !"  roared  the  captain, 
struggling  furiously  in  the  grasp  of  the  sailors, 
who  were  guiding  him  with  no  very  gentle 
hands  toward  the  gangway  that  led  down  to 
the  brig.  "I'll  pertest  and  fight  as  long  as  I 
have  breath  or  strength  left  in  me  ;  and  when 
we  have  gained  our  independence,  Cap'n  Ben- 


232  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ton,  I'll  make  it  my  business  to  see  that  you 
suffer  for  this." 

From  the  bottom  of  his  heart  Marcy  Gray 
pitied  the  frightened,  half-crazy  man  who  was 
being  hurried  below,  but  he  did  not  draw  at- 
tention to  himself  by  interceding  in  his  behalf 
because  he  knew  it  would  do  no  good. 
Beardsley  was  being  treated  just  as  he  had 
treated  Captain  Benton's  men  ;  but  there  was 
no  mob  on  the  Union  gunboat  to  whoop  and 
yell  at  him  as  the  Newbern  mob  had  whooped 
and  yelled  at  his  prisoners  when  they  were  be- 
ing taken  to  jail.  Beardsley  continued  to 
struggle  and  shout  until  his  head  disappeared 
below  the  combings  of  the  main-hatch,  and 
then  the  racket  suddenly  ceased.  He  had  not 
been  gagged,  as  Marcy  feared,  but  he  had 
been  told  that  he  would  be  if  he  didn't  keep 
still,  and  the  threat  silenced  him. 

Quiet  having  been  restored  Mr.  Watkins 
said  to  his  commander,  weaving  his  hand  in 
Marcy' s  direction  : 

"This  young  man,  sir,  was  also  on  board  the 
Osprep,  when  she  made  a  prize  of  your 
schooner.     I  think  he  has  something  to  say 


BEARDSLEY  IN  TROUBLE,        233 

that  will  interest  you.  His  name  is  Marcy 
Gray." 

"  Why,  Gray  was  mentioned  to  me  as  a 
Union  man,"  said  the  captain. 

"And  so  I  am,"  replied  Marcy.  "But 
when  one  is  surrounded  by  enemies  he  can't 
always  do  as  he  likes,  and  I  sailed  on  that  pri- 
vateer because  I  couldn't  help  it.  If  you  will 
be  kind  enough  to  look  into  this  valise  you 
will  see  something  that  will  prove  my  words." 

"He  has  seventeen  hundred  dollars  in  that 
grip,  which  he  says  belongs  to  you,  sir,"  Mr. 
Watkins  whispered  in  the  ear  ot*  his  superior. 
"It  is  the  money  he  received  when  the  Hollins 
was  condemned  and  sold  by  the  Confederate 
government." 

Captain  Benton  was  greatly  astonished.  He 
looked  hard  at  Marcy  for  a  minute  or  two,  and 
then  beckoned  him  to  come  into  the  cabin. 
Seating  himself  on  one  side  of  the  little  table 
that  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  he  pointed 
to  a  chair  on  the  other  side,  and  the  boy 
dropped  into  it.  The  captain  continued  to 
look  closely  at  him  for  another  minute,  and 
then  said : 


234  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  I  saw  you  on  board 
the  Osprey  or  not." 

"I  don't  wonder  at  it,  sir,"  answered  the 
young  pilot.  "  You  had  so  many  bitter  reflec- 
tions to  occupy  your  mind,  about  that  time,  that 
you  probably  do  not  remember  a  single  one  of 
the  crew  with  the  exception  of  Captain  Beards- 
ley.  But  I  remember  you,  sir;  and  when  I 
saw  you  looking  over  the  Osprey' s  stern  at 
your  own  vessel  which  was  following  in  our 
wake,  I  felt  sorry  for  you.  I  said  then  that  I 
would  never  spend  a  cent  of  your  money,  and 
I  never  have." 

While  he  talked  in  this  way,  Marcy  took 
the  key  from  his  pocket  and  opened  his  valise. 
The  first  thing  he  brought  to  light  was  his 
Union  flag,  the  one  his  Barrington  girl  gave 
him,  and  which,  we  said,  in  the  first  volume 
of  this  series,  was  destined  to  float  in  triumph 
over  the  waters  that  he  had  once  sailed  through 
in  Captain  Beardsley's  i)rivateer.  The  glori- 
ous day  we  then  prophesied  had  dawned  at 
last !  The  captain  looked  on  in  surprise  when 
Marcy  took  the  flag  from  his  valise,  and  shook 
it  out  so  that  he  could  see  it. 


BEAllDSLEY   IN   TROUBLE.  235 

"  I  should  think  your  rebel  neighbors,  if  you 
have  any,  would  destroy  that  banner,"  said 
he. 

"  We  have  plenty  of  that  sort  of  neighbors, 
sir,  but  they  never  saw  this  flag,"  answered 
Marcy.  "  I  keep  it  hidden  in  one  of  my  bed- 
quilts,  and  sleep  under  it  every  night."  And, 
being  a  boy  of  business,  he  came  at  once  to  the 
subject  that  just  then  was  nearest  his  heart. 
"Am  I  to  remain  on  this  ship  when  she  goes 
into  action,  sir  r'  he  inquired. 

"  For  anything  I  know  to  the  contrary,  you 
are,"  the  captain  answered  with  a  smile.  "  Of 
course,  that  Avill  be  just  as  the  flag-officer 
says.     Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"  Because,  if  I  am,  I  wish  you  would  do  me 
the  favor  to  run  this  flag  of  mine  up  to  your 
masthead,"  replied  Marcy.  "  The  young  lady 
who  made  it  for  me,  and  avIio  worked  upon  it 
while  her  rebel  relatives  were  asleep,  would  be 
very  much  gratified  if  she  could  hear  that  it 
had  been  carried  to  victory  by  a  Federal  ship 
of  war." 

"  Well,  my  young  friend,  whether  you  stay 
aboard  of  us  or  not,  that  flng  of  yours  shall  go 


236  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE, 

wp  to  our  masthead.  Yoa  think  we  are  going 
to  beat  them,  do  you  ?" 

"  I  know  it,  sir,"  replied  Marcy,  so  earnestly 
that  the  captain  smiled  again.  "  If  they  beat 
you  to-day,  you  will  beat  them  to-morrow,  or 
next  w^eek.  You  are  bound  to  win  in  the  long 
run,  and  in  their  heart  of  hearts  the  rebels 
know  it." 

"  It  does  me  good  to  hear  you  talk,"  said 
the  captain,  getting  upon  his  feet  and  pacing 
his  cabin  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets.  "  I 
have  been  pretty  well  discouraged  since  the 
fleet  arrived  off  this  coast,  but  you  put  new  life 
into  me.  Is  that  my  money?"  he  added,  as 
Marcy  placed  a  good-sized  box  ui)on  his  table. 
"Am  I  as  rich  as  that?  You  handle  it  as 
though  it  w^as  heavy." 

"If  I  haven't  forgotten  all  my  .schooling,  it 
ought  to  weigh  close  on  to  ten  pounds,  troy," 
answered  Marcy,  throwing  back  the  cover^  so 
that  the  captain  could  see  the  glittering  con- 
tents. "If  you  will  run  it  over,  sir,  I  think 
you  will  find  it  all  there." 

"  Good  gracious,  my  lad  !  Do  you  take  me 
for  a  bank  cashier  ?    I  could  not  count  a  pile 


BEAEDSLEY  IN  TROUBLE.        237 

of  money  like  tliat  in  an  hour,  and  I  have 
scarcely  two  minutes'  time  at  my  disposal  now. 
Steward,  give  us  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  tell  the 
officer  of  the  deck  to  call  away  the  gig.  I 
shall  want  you  to  go  to  the  flag-ship  with  me. 
How  much  did  that  pirate  get  for  the  Holllns 
and  her  cargo,  any  way  ? ' ' 

"Fifty-six  thousand  dollars,"  answered 
Marcy. 

"That  is  rather  more  than  they  would  have 
brought  in  Boston,"  said  the  captain  reflect- 
ively. "And  the  Confederate  government  got 
half,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  and  half  the  remainder  was  di- 
vided between  Captain  Beardsley  and  his  two 
mates.  The  other  fourteen  thousand  were 
equally  divided  among  the  sixteen  members 
of  the  crew,  petty  officers  and  foremast  hands 
sharing  alike,  each  one  receiving  eight  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  dollars." 

"  Then  how  does  it  come  that  there  are 
seventeen  hundred  dollars  here?"  said  the 
captain,  jerking  his  head  toward  the  box  on 
the  table. 

"  There  are  seventeen  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 


238  MARCY,  THE  kefugep:. 

lars  in  tliis  box  to  be  exact — two  shares,"  re- 
plied Marcy.  "  Captain  Beardsley  promised 
to  do  what  lie  called  '  the  fair  thing '  by  me 
if  I  would  ship  as  pilot  on  his  schooner,  and 
he  did  it  by  giving  me  eight  hundred  and 
seventy-five  dollars  of  your  money." 

"That  was  pretty  cool,  I  must  say.  But 
how  do  you  know  that  he  did  not  reward  your 
fidelity  by  giving  you  some  of  his  own 
money  ?" 

"No,  he  didn't,  sir!"  exclaimed  Marcy. 
"Captain  Beardsley  doesn't  reward  anybody 
unless  he  thinks  he  sees  a  chance  to  make 
something  by  it,  and  neither  does  he  pay  out 
a  cent  of  his  own  when  he  can  take  what  he 
needs  from  the  pockets  of  some  one  else.  It 
is  all  yours,  sir,  and  I  am  glad  to  have  the  op- 
portunity to  give  it  to  you." 

"And  I  am  glad  to  receive  it,  and  to  have 
the  opportunity  to  shake  hands  with  such  a 
young  man  as  you  are,"  said  the  captain  ;  and 
suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  came  around 
the  table  and  gave  Marcy' s  hand  a  hearty 
sailor's  grip. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MAECY   IN   ACTION. 

MARCY  GRAY  was  somewhat  surprised, 
though  not  at  all  abashed,  to  find  himself 
treated  as  an  honored  guest  on  board  the  gun- 
boat. He  took  breakfast  with  Captain  Benton, 
who  did  not  think  it  beneath  his  dignity  to  ac- 
knowledge that  he  was  glad  to  know  he  was 
seventeen  hundred  dollars  richer  than  he 
thought  he  was,  and  who  listened  with  the 
deepest  interest  to  the  boy's  account  of  the 
various  adventures  that  had  befallen  him 
since  the  war  broke  out.  When  the  story  was 
finished  the  captain  believed  with  his  execu- 
tive officer — that  it  required  courage  to  be 
loyal  to  the  old  flag  in  that  country. 

Breakfast  over,  the  two  stepped  into  the  cap- 
tain's  gig  and  were  taken  on  board  the  South- 
field  and  into  the  presence  of  the  officer  who 
commanded  the  naval  part  of  the  expedition. 

239 


240  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Flag-officer  Goldsborougli  was  a  native  of 
Maryland,  but  he  believed  that  the  South  was 
wrong  in  trying  to  break  up  the  Union,  that 
she  ought  to  be  compelled  to  lay  down  her 
arms  since  she  would  not  do  it  of  her  own  free 
will,  and  he  was  doing  all  a  brave  and  skilful 
man  could  to  force  her  to  strike  the  strange 
flag  she  had  hoisted  in  opposition  to  the  Stars 
and  Stripes.  He  was  very  busy,  but  he  found 
time  to  ask  Marcy  a  few  questions,  and  gave 
him  pencil  and  paper  with  which  to  draw  a 
map  of  the  channel  that  led  through  Croatan 
Sound.  When  it  Avas  done  he  compared  it 
Avith  another  that  lay  upon  his  table,  and 
Marcy  learned,  from  some  remarks  he  ex- 
changed with  Captain  Benton,  that  he  was  not 
the  only  pilot  whose  services  had  been  secured 
by  force  of  arms. 

We  have  spoken  of  an  expedition  similar  to 
that  of  Mr.  ^Vatkins,  which  left  the  fleet  the 
night  before,  went  as  far  as  the  mainland 
and  stopped  there.  It  was  in  search  of  a 
pilot,  and  it  brought  him,  too.  He  was  now 
on  board  the  flag-ship,  from  which  he  was 
afterward    sent  to  the  vessel  that  had    been 


MARCY   IN   ACTION.  241 

ordered  to  lead  in  the  attack.  There  was  still 
another  that  Marcy  did  not  know  anything 
about — a  negro  boy  named  Tom,  who  had 
once  called  John  M,  Daniel  of  Roanoke  master. 
He  ran  away  on  the  same  night  the  expedition 
came  into  the  Sound,  and  had  been  taken  on 
board  Burnside's  liag-ship.  He  afterward 
showed  the  general  the  landing  at  Ashby's 
Harbor,  and  told  him  how  the  troops  could  be 
placed  there  without  being  obliged  to  wade 
through  the  deep  marshes  at  the  foot  of  the 
Island.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war  the  Con- 
federates did  not  believe  that  their  own  slaves 
would  turn  against  them  and  give  aid  and 
comfort  to  the  Federals  ;  but  the  blacks  were 
sharp  enough  to  know  who  their  ^friends  were, 
and  the  information  they  were  always  ready 
to  give  was  in  most  cases  found  to  be  reliable. 

"  There  is  one  thing  I  had  almost  forgotten 
to  speak  of,  sir,"  said  Captain  Benton,  when 
the  "commodore,"  as  he  had  been  called,  inti- 
mated that  he  had  no  more  questions  to  ask. 
"  What  shall  I  do  with  that  man  Beardsley,  if 
you  please?" 

"  I  will  give  you  an  order  to  send  him  off  to 

16 


243  MARCY,    THE   "REFUGEE. 

a  store-sliip,  for  of  course  you  don't  want  him 
aboard  of  you  in  action,"  was  the  answer. 
"What  will  be  done  with  him  after  we  are 
through  here,  I  can' t  say.  If  he  had  been  taken 
with  his  privateer  he  might  be  held  as  a  prisoner 
of  war ;  but  as  it  is,  I  presume  he  will  be  re- 
leased after  a  while,  to  get  into  more  mischief 
after  he  returns  within  the  Confederate  lines." 

"  But  it  will  put  him  to  some  trouble  to  get 
back,"  thought  Marcy.  "And  that  will  be  a 
blessing." 

As  soon  as  the  order  referred  to  had  been 
written,  Captain  Benton  and  his  pilot  took 
their  departure.  When  the  former  stepped 
upon  the  deck  of  his  own  vessel  the  second 
cutter  was  called  away,  and  Captain  Beardsley 
was  brought  out  of  the  brig  to  be  taken  on 
board  the  supply  ship,  where  he  would  be  out 
of  harm's  way  during  the  fight  that  was  soon 
to  begin.  He  did  not  yell  and  struggle  now  as 
he  did  when  the  irons  were  first  placed  upon 
his  wrists,  for  the  fear  of  the  gag  had  taken  all 
that  nonsense  out  of  him.  His  face  was  very 
pale,  and  he  walked  with  his  head  down,  and 
did  not  appear  to  notice  any  of  those  he  passed 


MAECY   IN   ACTION.  243 

on  his  way  to  the  side.  When  he  saw  how 
utterly  dejected  and  cast  down  his  okl  com- 
mander was,  Marcy  felt  heartily  sorry  that  he 
had  said  so  much  against  him  ;  but  after  all  he 
hadn't  told  more  than  half  the  truth.  He  had 
promised  himself  that  he  would  shut  Beardsley 
up  for  a  long  time  if  he  ever  got  the  chance, 
but  now  that  it  was  presented,  he  hadn't  the 
heart  to  improve  it.  He  did  just  as  he  knew 
his  mother  would  wish  him  to  do  under  the 
circumstances — he  held  his  peace  ;  and  when 
the  cutter  shoved  off  with  him,  he  hoped 
that  something  would  happen  to  keep  Beards- 
ley  away  from  Nashville  as  long  as  the  war 
continued.  But  unfortunately  he  came  back. 
Marcy  had  not  neglected  to  bring  his  binocu- 
lars with  him,  and  finding  himself  at  liberty 
after  the  captain  went  below,  he  walked  for- 
ward to  take  a  look  at  things,  being  accom- 
panied by  a  couple  of  master's  mates,  one  of 
whom  had  been  second  in  command  of  Mr. 
Watkins's  expedition,  and  answered  to  the 
name  of  Perkins.  The  Union  fleet  lay  anch- 
ored in  three  parallel  lines  a  short  distance  be- 
low the  lighthouse,  which  stood  on  a  dangerous 


244  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

shoal  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the  channel, 
the  gunboats  being  in  advance,  with  the  excejD- 
tion  of  half  a  dozen  or  more  that  had  been 
drawn  up  on  the  flanks  to  protect  the  trans- 
ports, in  case  the  enemy  began  the  fight  with- 
out waiting  to  be  attacked.  A  short  half  mile 
ahead  of  the  fleet  were  two  small  vessels,  the 
Ceres  and  the  Putnam,  whose  business  it  was 
to  act  as  j)icket-boats  and  look  out  for  ob- 
structions when  the  larger  vessels  were  ready 
to  move.  Straight  up  the  channel,  and  not 
more  than  twelve  or  thirteen  miles  away,  were 
the  double  rows  of  piles  and  sunken  ships  that 
must  be  passed  in  some  manner  before  the 
Union  vessels  could  engage  the  Confederate 
squadron,  which  lay  on  the  other  side  and 
close  under  the  protecting  guns  of  Fort  Huger. 
His  glass  showed  him  that  the  rebels  had  steam 
up  and  were  ready  for  action,  and  Marcy  won- 
dered why  the  Union  commander  wasn't  doing 
something.  He  said  as  much  to  the  two  young 
officers  who  stood  by  his  side,  while  he  was 
making  his  observations. 

"Wait   a  while,"    replied   Perkins,  with  a 
sly  wink  at  his  companion.     "  After  you  have 


MARCY   IN   ACTION.  245 

been  in  one  fight  you'll  not  be  in  any  hurry  to 
get  into  another.  I  can  wait  a  week  or  two  as 
well  as  not." 

"  I  assure  you  that  I  am  not  spoiling  for  a 
fight,"  answered  Marcy.  "I'd  rather  not  go 
into  one  ;  but  since  I've  got  it  to  do,  I  wish 
we  might  get  at  it  and  have  it  over  with." 
And  as  he  said  this  he  picked  up  his  left  hand, 
which  had  been  hanging  hj  his  side,  and 
placed  it  in  the  sling  he  wore  around  his 
neck. 

"Look  here,  Perk,"  said  the  other  young 
officer,  when  he  observed  this  movement. 
"I'll  bet  you  have  been  giving  advice  to  one 
who  knows  more  than  you  do.  Where  did  you 
get  that  hand,  pilot,  if  it  is  a  fair  question  ?" 

"My  hand  is  all  right,  but  my  arm  was 
broken  by  one  of  your  shells  while  I  was  run- 
ning the  blockade,"  replied  Marcy,  where- 
upon the  youngsters  opened  their  eyes,  and 
looked  at  him  and  at  each  other  as  though 
they  felt  the  least  bit  ashamed  of  themselves. 
"But  of  course  you  did  not  know  anything 
about  it,  and  I  don't  think  hard  of  it  if  you 
took  me  for  a  greenhorn." 


246  MARCy,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"  I  took  you  for  a  lad  of  spirit  and  courage 
when  Mr.  Watkins  told  me  how  you  had  been 
living  back  there  in  the  country,"  exclaimed 
Perkins.  "But  of  course  I  did  not  know 
that  you  had  snuffed  powder." 

"  I  should  think  that  shell  would  have 
taken  your  arm  off  instead  of  breaking  it," 
observed  the  other. 

"The  shell  never  came  near  me,  but  a  heavy 
splinter  that  was  torn  from  our  rail  made  me 
think  I  was  a  goner,"  replied  Marcy.  "The 
man  you  saw  put  into  the  brig,  and  afterward 
taken  out  and  sent  aboard  the  store-ship,  was 
my  old  captain ;  and  I  was  acting  as  pilot  of 
his  vessel  at  the  time  I  was  hit.  And  I  am 
as  strong  for  the  Union  as  anybody  in  this 
squadron.  I  have  a  brother  on  one  of  these 
boats,  and  would  like  much  to  see  him." 

"You  don't  say?"  exclaimed  Perkins. 
"  What  boat  is  he  on,  and  what  position  does 
he  hold?" 

"He  is  a  foremast  hand  on  the  Harriet 
Lane.  I  hope  he  will  make  himself  known  to 
his  commander,  for  he  is  the  best  kind  of  a 
pilot  for  this  coast." 


MARCY   IN   ACTION.  247 

"I  am  afraid  he  will  not  be  of  any  use  to 
us  to-day,  and  tliat  yon  will  not  shake  hands 
with  him  this  trip,"  replied  Perkins.  "That 
boat  is  not  with  us.  She  is  outside,  chasing 
blockade  runners.  Hallo !  There  goes  our 
answering  pennant.  Now,  watch  the  signal 
from  the  flag-ship — one,  nine,  Ave,  second- 
repeater — Aw,  what's  the  use  of  my  reading 
off  the  numbers  when  I  have  no  signal-book  to 
translate  them  for  me  ?  " 

"  It  is  ''engage  the  enemy''  probably,"  said 
his  companion.  "After  we  have  answered  it 
a  few  times  more,  perhaps  we  will  recognize 
it  when  we  see  it." 

"  If  that  is  what  the  signal  means,  why  don't 
you  go  to  your  stations  ?"  inquired  Marcy,  as 
they  began  walking  leisurely  toward  the  waist 
to  leave  the  forecastle  clear  for  the  blue- 
jackets, who  came  forward  in  obedience  to  a 
shrill  call  from  the  boatswain's  whistle,  which 
was  followed  by  the  command:  "All  hands 
stand  by  to  get  ship  under  way."  "You 
don't  seem  to  be  in  any  haste  to  do  anything, 
you  two." 

"  What  is  the  use  of  being  in  a  hurry  to  get 


248  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

shot  at  ? "  said  Perkins.  "Wait  until  you  hear 
the  call  to  quarters,  and  then  you  will  see  us 
get  around  lively  enough.  But  we  shall  not 
have  so  very  much  fighting  to  do  to-day.  I 
heard  Mr.  Watkins  tell  the  officer  of  the  deck 
this  morning  that  this  battle  will  be  merely 
preliminary.  When  the  soldiers  get  a  foot- 
hold on  the  Island  you'll  see  fun,  unless  the 
rebels  run  away." 

"Where  is  my  station  in  action?"  asked 
Marcy. 

"  Close  at  the  old  man's  side,  wherever  he 
happens  to  be,"  replied  the  master's  mate. 
"And  I  will  tell  you,  for  your  consolation, 
that  he  always  happens  to  be  in  the  most 
dangerous  place  he  can  find.  There  he  is  on 
the  bridge,  and  perhaps  you  had  better  go  up 
to  him." 

The  bridge  was  a  platform  with  a  railing 
around  it,  extending  nearly  across  the  deck 
just  abaft  the  wheel-house,  and  when  Marcy 
mounted  the  ladder  that  led  up  to  it,  he  found 
himself  in  a  position  to  see  everything  that 
was  going  on.  The  captain  was  standing 
there  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  but  he 


MARCY   IN   ACTION.  249 

seemed  more  like  a  disinterested  spectator 
than  like  a  man  who  was  about  to  take  a  ship 
into  action,  for  he  had  not  a  word  to  say  to 
anybody.  He  wore  a  canvas  bag  by  his  side, 
suspended  by  a  broad  strap  that  passed  over 
his  shoulder  ;  and  if  Marcy  could  have  looked 
into  it,  he  would  have  found  that  it  contained 
a  small  book  whose  cloth  covers  were  heavily 
loaded  with  lead.  This  was  the  signal-book — 
one  of  the  most  important  articles  in  a  man- 
of-war's  outfit.  The  captain  always  kept  it 
where  he  could  place  his  hands  upon  it  at  a 
moment's  notice,  and  if  he  found  that  his  ves- 
sel was  in  danger  of  being  captured,  he  would 
have  thrown  it  overboard  rather  than  permit 
it  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

For  the  first  quarter  of  an  hour  or  so  Marcy 
Gray  had  nothing  to  do  but  keep  out  of  the 
way  of  the  captain,  who  walked  back  and 
forth  on  the  bridge  so  that  he  could  see  every 
part  of  the  deck  beneath  him  by  simply  turn- 
ing his  head,  and  watch  the  gunboats  fall 
into  line  one  after  another.  The  ease  and 
rapidity  with  which  this  was  done  surprised 
him.      The  several    commanders    knew  their 


250  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

places  and  got  into  them  in  short  order,  and 
without  in  any  way  interfering  with  the  ves- 
sels around  thera.  If  the  inanimate  masses  of 
wood  and  iron  they  commanded  had  been  pos- 
sessed of  brains  and  knew  what  they  were  ex- 
pected to  do,  they  could  not  have  done  it 
more  promptly  or  with  less  confusion.  It  was 
a  fine  and  inspiriting  sight,  and  Marcy  Gray 
would  have  walked  twenty  miles  to  see  it  any 
day. 

"The  flagshi]3  is  signalling,  sir,"  said  a 
quartermaster  who  was  on  the  bridge  with 
him   and   the   captain. 

Marcy  turned  about  and  saw  a  long  line  of 
diiferent-colored  streamers  traveling  up  the 
Southfield'  s  main-mast.  When  it  reached  the 
toj)  and  the  breeze  had  carried  the  flags  out  at 
full  length  so  that  the  captain  could  distin- 
guish them,  he  took  down  the  number  they 
represented  on  a  slip  of  paper,  and  turned  to 
the  corresponding  number  in  his  book  to  see 
what  the  signal  meant.  This  he  wrote  upon  a 
separate  piece  of  paper  which  he  held  in  his 
hand. 

By  the  time  the  vessel  was  fairly  under  way 


MAKCY   IN   ACTION.  251 

several  signals  had  been  made  from  the  com- 
modore's flag-ship,  and  finally  a  rattle  was 
sounded  somewhere  below ;  Avhereupon  the 
blue-jackets  came  running  from  all  directions, 
but  without  the  least  noise  or  disorder,  and 
took  their  stand  by  tlie  side  of  the  big  guns  to 
which  they  belonged.  When  the  command 
"cast  loose  and  provide"  had  been  obeyed 
and  every  man  was  in  his  place,  the  roll  was 
called  by  the  commanders  of  the  different  di- 
visions, the  sailors  responding  by  giving  the 
names  of  their  stations — thus : 

"  George  Williams." 

"First  captain  and  second  boarder,  sir." 

"Walter  Do  wd." 

"  Second  loader  and  first  boarder,  sir." 

"James  Smith." 

"Shotman  and  pikeman,  sir." 

When  the  roll  had  been  called  the  various 
division  commanders  reported  to  the  executive 
officer,  who  always  has  charge  of  the  gun-deck 
in  action,  and  he  approached  the  bridge  on 
which  the  captain  was  standing,  saluted  with 
his  sword,  and  said  : 

"All  present  or  accounted  for,  sir." 


252  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"Very  good,  sir,"  answered  the  captain, 
giving  the  officer  the  paj)er  he  held  in  his 
hand.  "  There  is  what  the  commodore  had  to 
say  to  us  in  one  of  his  signals.  Read  it  to  the 
men." 

Mr.  Watkins  went  back  to  his  station  and 
took  off  his  cap ;  and  instantly  the  eye  of 
every  sailor  on  deck  was  fixed  upon  him. 

"This  signal  has  just  been  made  from  the 
flag-ship,"  said  Mr.  Watkins,  holding  the 
paper  aloft.  "Listen  to  the  reading  of  it: 
'■This  day  our  country  expects  every  man  to 
do  Ms  duty ! '  What  have  you  men  to 
say  to  that  ?  Will  you  show  the  commodore 
that  you  know  what  your  duty  is  by  beating 
those  fellows  up  there?" 

The  answer  was  a  lusty  cheer,  in  which  the 
officers  joined  as  wildly  as  their  men.  Then 
cheers  began  coming  from  all  directions,  show- 
ing that  the  reading  of  the  signal  had  had  the 
same  effect  upon  other  crews.  When  the  Stars 
and  Stripes,  the  vessel  that  was  to  lead  in  the 
attack,  went  by  to  take  her  station  at  the  head 
of  the  line,  her  men  were  yelling  at  the  top  of 
their  voices  ;  and  when  their  cheers  died  away 


MAP.CY   IN   ACTION.  253 

everything  became  quiet,  and  the  fleet  settled 
down  to  business. 

The  first  shot  was  fired  at  eleven  o'clock.  It 
was  from  a  hundred-pounder  on  the  leading 
vessel,  and  was  directed  against  Fort  Bartow. 
It  was  the  signal  for  the  opening  of  the  con- 
test, and  was  quickly  followed  by  such  an  up- 
roar that  Marcy  Gray  could  hardly  hear  him- 
self think.  He  had  always  thought  that  a 
twenty-four  pound  howitzer  made  a  pretty 
loud  noise,  but  it  was  nothing  to  the  deafen- 
ing and  continuous  roar  of  the  heavy  guns 
that  in  a  moment  filled  the  air  all  about  him. 
He  thought  he  ought  to  be  badly  frightened, 
and  he  expected  to  be  ;  but  somehow  he  was 
not,  and  neither  was  he  killed  by  the  shell 
from  Fort  Bartow  that  struck  the  \vater  close 
alongside  and  exploded,  it  seemed  to  him, 
almost  under  his  feet.  He  was  in  full  posses- 
sion Oi  his  senses,  and  the  hand  with  which  he 
levelled  his  glass  at  the  Confederate  fleet  was 
as  steady  as  he  had  ever  known  it  to  be.  He 
was  particularly  interested  in  the  movements 
of  that  fleet,  for  he  w^as  acquainted  with  some 
of  the  sailors  who  manned  it.     As  soon  as  the 


254  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

action  was  fairly  begun  it  left  its  sheltered 
position  under  the  guns  of  the  fort  and  steamed 
down  the  channel.  Its  leading  boats  came  on 
at  such  a  rate  of  speed  that  Marcy  thought 
they  must  know  of  some  opening  in  the  lines 
of  obstructions,  and  that  they  intended  to 
come  through  and  demolish  the  Union  fleet 
without  aid  from  the  guns  on  shore  ;  but  if 
that  was  their  object  they  failed  to  accomplish 
it.  Their  heaviest  ship,  the  Curlew^  was 
whipped  so  quickly  that  her  rebel  commander 
must  have  been  astonished  ;  and  so  badly 
crippled  was  she  by  the  solid  shot  that  crashed 
through  her  sides,  that  it  was  all  she  could  do 
to  haul  out  of  the  fight  and  seek  refuge  under 
the  guns  of  the  nearest  fort.  In  the  end  both 
the  ship  and  the  fort  were  blown  up  together. 

About  this  time  something  happened  that 
the  young  pilot  might  have  expected,  but 
which  he  had  never  once  thought  of.  The 
smoke  of  battle  settled  so  thickly  about  his 
vessel  that  his  eyes  were  of  little  use  to  him  ; 
and,  to  make  matters  worse,  Captain  Benton 
shouted  in  his  ear  : 

"Keep  a  bright  lookout,  and  if  you  see  us 


MAUCY   IN   ACTION,  255 

getting  into  less  than  fourteen  feet  of  water, 
don't  fail  to  let  me  know  it." 

"  I  declare,  I  don't  know  whether  there  are 
fourteen  or  fourteen  hundred  feet  of  Avater 
under  our  keel  at  this  moment!"  Avas  the 
tliought  that  flashed  through  Maroy's  mind 
and  awolie  him  to  a  sense  of  his  responsibility. 
"I  don't  knoAv  Avhere  we  are."  Then  aloud 
he  said  :  "I  can't  see  a  thing  from  the  bridge. 
Captain,     I  shall  have  to  go  aloft." 

The  boy  did  not  know  Avhether  or  not  pilots 
Avere  in  the  habit  of  going  aloft  in  the  heat  of 
action,  but  he  thought  it  Avas  the  proper  thing 
to  do  under  the  circumstances.  He  Avent,  and 
he  did  not  go  any  too  soon,  either  ;  for  Avhen 
he  had  climbed  up  Avhere  he  could  see  over  the 
thickest  of  the  smoke,  he  found  to  his  con- 
sternation that  the  vessel  was  heading  diagon- 
ally across  the  channel  far  to  the  eastward  of 
the  position  in  which  she  ought  to  be,  that  she 
would  be  hard  and  fast  aground  if  she  held 
that  course  live  minutes  longer,  and  that  her 
shells  Avere  exploding  in  the  edge  of  a  piece  of 
timber  Avhere  he  could  not  see  any  signs  of  a 
fort  or  breastwork.     It  was  the  Avork  of  but  a 


25Q  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEP]. 

few  seconds  for  Marcy  to  make  Captain  Benton 
understand  the  situation,  and  when  the  latter 
had  brought  his  ship  to  her  ]3roj)er  course  by 
following  the  instructions  the  young  pilot 
shouted  down  to  him,  he  came  up  and  took  his 
stand  in  the  top  by  Marcy' s  side.  There  they 
both  remained  as  long  as  the  fight  continued, 
and  their  dinner  consisted  of  a  sandwich  and  a 
cup  of  coffee,  which  the  cabin  steward  brought 
up  to  them  at  noon. 

The  first  object  of  the  bombardment  was  ac- 
complished about  five  o'clock  that  afternoon, 
when  a  heavy  smoke  was  rolling  over  Fort 
Bartow,  caused  by  the  burning  of  the  barracks, 
which  had  been  set  on  fire  by  a  shell  from  the 
fleet,  the  defiant  roar  of  its  guns  being  almost 
silenced,  and  its  flaunting  banner  sent  to  the 
dust  by  the  shooting  away  of  the  staff  that 
sustained  it,  and  the  enemy,  all  along  the  line, 
had  been  driven  so  far  back  that  the  transports 
could  come  up  with  the  troops.  It  was  at  this 
juncture  that  the  services  of  Mr.  Daniel's  black 
boy,  Tom,  came  into  play.  He  piloted  General 
Burnside's  launches  and  lighters  into  Ashby's 
Harbor,   and,  by  midnight,  ten  thousand  sol- 


MARCY   IN   ACTION.  257 

diers  were  landed  in  readiness  for  the  real 
battle,  which  was  to  begin  on  the  following 
morning.  By  this  time  the  Confederates  mnst 
have  been  satisfied  that  they  were  going  to  be 
whipped.  Commodore  Lynch  knew  that  he 
had  had  all  the  fighting  he  wanted  ;  for  he  re- 
treated round  Wier's  Point,  and  was  never 
seen  afterward  until  Captain  Rowan,  with  a 
portion  of  the  Union  fleet,  hunted  him  up,  and 
finished  him  at  Elizabeth  City.  The  battle 
was  over  shortly  after  dark  (although  the 
firing  was  kept  up  at  intervals  during  the 
night),  and  the  leading  boats  dropped  back  to 
allow  others  to  take  their  places. 

"We  are  not  whipped,  are  we?"  exclaimed 
Marcy,  when  he  witnessed  this  retrograde 
movement. 

"  Oh,  no,"  replied  the  captain,  as  he  backed 
down  from  the  top.  "We  have  done  just 
what  we  set  out  to  do  when  we  began  the  fight 
this  morning,  and,  having  won  all  the  honors 
tliat  rightfully  belong  to  us,  we  must  fall 
astern,  and  let  somebody  else  have  a  show  to- 
morrow." 

Marcy  followed  the  captain  to  the  deck,  and 

17 


258  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

was  greatly  surprised  by  what  he  saw  when  he 
got  there.  There  were  wide  openings  in  the 
hammock-nettings  that  he  had  not  seen 
there  in  the  morning,  and  the  iDorts,  through 
which  two  of  the  broadside  guns  worlied,  had 
been  torn  into  one.  Some  of  the  standing 
rigging  was  not  taut  and  ship-shape,  as  it 
ought  to  have  been,  but  was  flying  loose  in  the 
breeze,  and  there  were  one  or  two  dark  spots 
on  the  deck  which  looked  as  though  they  had 
been  drenched  with  water,  and  afterward 
sanded.  Marcy's  heart  almost  stopped  beat- 
ing when  he  saw  these  things,  for  they  told 
him  that  the  vessel  had  suffered  during  the 
fight,  and  that  some  of  her  crew  had  been 
killed  or  wounded,  and  he  never  knew  it. 
But  the  sight  of  a  flag  which  a  gray-headed 
quartermaster  was  just  hauling  down  from  the 
masthead,  drove  gloomy  thoughts  out  of  his 
mind,  and  sent  a  thrill  of  triumph  all  through 
him.  It  was  his  own  flag,  and  it  had  been 
floating  over  his  head  all  day  long.  He  took 
supper  with  Captain  Benton,  and  afterward 
went  below  to  see  the  poor  fellows  who  had 
not  come  out  of  the  fight  as  well  as  he  did. 


MARCY   IN   ACTION.  259 

Two  of  tliem  were  laid  in  the  engine-room, 
covered  with  the  flag  in  defense  of  which  they 
had  given  up  their  lives,  and  four  others  were 
wounded.  The  sight  was  nothing  to  those  that 
liis  rebel  cousin,  Rodney,  the  Partisan,  had 
often  witnessed  on  the  field  of  battle  ;  but  it 
was  enough  to  show  Marcy  Gray  that  there 
was  a  terrible  reality  in  war. 

The  next  day  was  the  army's.  The  battle 
began  at  seven  in  the  morning  ;  and  although 
the  gunboats,  Captain  Benton's  among  the 
rest,  did  the  work  they  were  expected  to  do 
and  succeeded  in  passing  the  obstructions 
shortly  after  noon,  the  heaviest  of  the  fight- 
ing was  done  by  the  soldiers.  The  Confeder- 
ate flag  went  down  before  the  sun  did,  and 
twenty-five  hundred  prisoners,  forty  heavy 
guns,  and  three  thousand  stand  of  small  arms 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors.  The  Con- 
federate fleet  endeavored  to  escape  by  running 
up  the  Pasquotank  river  to  Elizabeth  City, 
Commodore  Lynch  thinking  no  doubt  that  he 
would  there  find  re-enforcements,  which  could 
easily  have  been  sent  from  Portsmouth  ;  but 
if  they  were  there  they  did  not  do  him  any 


260  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

good,  for  Captain  Rowan  followed  him  into  the 
river  the  next  day,  and  destroyed  his  entire 
squadron  with  the  exception  of  one  boat  which 
was  captured  and  transferred  to  the  Union 
fleet.  After  demolishing  a  portion  of  the  Dis- 
mal Swamp  canal,  Captain  Rowan  went  to 
Edenton,  Winton,  and  Plymouth,  all  of  which 
were  captured  without  resistance  that 
amounted  to  anything,  and  garrisoned  by 
troops  from  Burnside's  army. 

Tlie  historian  says  that  the  results  of  this  ex- 
pedition "in  a  military  i:)oint  of  view,  were 
considerable  ;  but  those  of  a  political  charac- 
ter did  not  answer  the  expectations  of  the 
Federal  government."  It  was  believed  that 
the  occupation  of  these  points  would  not  only 
be  the  means  of  stopping  the  contraband  trade, 
which  was  kept  up  in  spite  of  the  blockading 
fleet,  but  that  it  would  also  "  keep  in  counte- 
nance the  partisans  of  the  Union,  who  were 
thought  to  be  numerous  in  North  Carolina." 
When  the  capture  of  Newbern,  Beaufort,  and 
forts  Macon  and  Pulaski,  which  followed  close 
on  the  heels  of  the  reduction  of  Roanoke  Island, 
put  all  the  coast  north  of  Wilmington  into  the 


MARCY   IN   ACTIOX.  261 

hands  of  the  Federals,  blockade  running  indeed 
became  a  dangerous  and  uncertain  business ; 
but  Marcy  Gray  could  not  see  that  the  native 
Unionists  were  in  any  way  benefited.  To  be 
gin  with,  General  Burnside  released  all  his 
prisoners  after  compelling  them  to  take  oath 
that  they  would  never  again  serve  against  the 
United  States.  Does  any  one  suppose  that  the 
prisoners  had  any  intention  of  keeping  that 
promise,  or  that  the  Confederate  government 
would  have  permitted  them  to  keep  it  if  they 
had  been  so  disposed?  It  is  true  that  some  of 
these  rebel  soldiers  had  had  quite  enough  of 
the  army,  and  vowed  that  they  would  take  to 
the  swamps  before  they  would  enter  it  again  ; 
but  it  is  also  true  that  the  most  of  them,  when 
they  returned  to  their  homes,  became  deter- 
mined and  relentless  foes  of  all  Union  men. 
So  the  conquest  of  Roanoke  Island  gave  Marcy 
Gray  more  enemies  to  stand  in  fear  of  than  he 
had  before  ;  but  it  had  a  still  worse  effect  upon 
his  affairs. 

It  was  night  when  the  soldiers  that  were  to 
take  possession  of  Plymouth  and  garrison  the 
place  were  sent  ashore   from  the  transports. 


262  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Marcy  stood  on  the  bridge,  watching  them  as 
they  disembarked,  and  wondering  how  long  it 
would  be  before  Captain  Benton  would  tell  him 
that  his  services  were  no  longer  needed  and 
that  he  might  return  to  his  home  ;  and,  while 
he  watched  and  thought,  he  discovered  a  small 
party  of  men  on  shore  with  bundles  in  their 
hands  or  on  their  shoulders,  and  who  acted  as 
though  they  were  waiting  for  a  chance  to  come 
off  to  the  fleet.  He  knew,  as  soon  as  he  looked 
at  them,  that  they  were  Union  men  who  w^ere 
about  to  take  the  opportunity  thus  presented 
to  enlist  under  the  old  flag. 

"That  is  who  they  are,"  thought  Marcy, 
after  he  had  kept  his  binoculars  pointed  at 
them  for  a  minute  or  two.  "They  can't  be 
anything  else,  for  they  are  in  citizens'  clothes. 
'Now,  in  trying  to  better  their  own  condition, 
are  they  not  making  matters  worse  for  their 
families,  if  they  have  any  ?  I  wonder  if  I  am 
acquainted  with  any  of  them  ?  I  will  soon 
know,  for  they  are  heading  for  this  ship." 

The  boats  belonging  to  Captain  Benton's 
vessel  had  been  engaged,  with  all  the  other 
boats  of  the  fleet,  in  taking  the  soldiers  to  the 


MARCY    IN    ACTION.  263 

sliore,  and  when  tliey  placed  their  last  load  of 
bliiecoats  upon  the  bank  and  were  ready  to 
return  to  their  ship,  they  brought  the  party  of 
which  we  have  spoken  off  with  them.  As  the 
leading  boat  drew  nearer  to  the  side,  so  that 
Marcy  could  obtain  a  fairer  view  of  the  man 
who  sat  in  the  stern-sheets  talking  to  the  cox- 
swain, he  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  and  alarm, 
and  almost  let  his  glass  fall  from  his  hand. 
The  man  was  Aleck  Webster. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HOME  AGAIN. 

MARCY  GRAY  waited  until  the  boat 
drew  a  little  nearer,  and  then  looked 
again.  There  could  be  no  mistake  about  it. 
The  man  in  the  stern-sheets  with  the  coxswain 
was  Aleck  Webster,  the  one  who  had  prom- 
ised to  have  an  eye  on  Marcy  and  his  mother 
while  Jack  was  at  sea,  and  those  who  composed 
his  x)arty  were  men  whom  Marcy  met  at  the 
post-office  almost  as  often  as  he  went  there. 
If  they  were  coming  off  to  enlist,  as  Marcy 
thought  they  were,  wouldn't  that  break  up  the 
band  who  held  meetings  in  the  swamp  ?  And 
if  that  band  should  be  broken  up,  who  would 
there  be  to  stand  between  his  mother  and  the 
wrath  of  Captain  Beardsley  ?  These  questions 
and  others  like  them  passed  through  the  boy's 
mind,  as  he  came  down  from  the  bridge  and 
stepped  to  the  gangway  to  meet  Aleck  and  his 

264 


HOME  AGAIN.  265 

friends  when  they  came  on  board.  Aleck  was 
the  first  to  get  out  of  the  boat  and  mount  the 
ladder,  and  when  he  reached  the  top,  where  the 
officer  of  the  deck  was  standing,  he  touched  his 
hat  and  said  : 

"  We  want  to  ship,  sir." 

"Yerygood,"  was  the  answer.  "Stand  to 
one  side,  and  some  one  will  talk  to  you  pres- 
ently." 

This  gave  Marcy  the  opportunity  he  wanted 
to  speak  to  Aleck.  He  moved  to  his  side  at 
once,  and  was  surprised  to  hear  Aleck  say,  as 
if  he  had  expected  to  find  him  there  : 

"  I  was  little  in  hopes  I  should  have  a  chance 
to  say  good-by  to  you,  sir.  Where's  old  man 
Beardsley,  and  have  you  seen  anything  of 
Mr.  Jack  ? " 

"Did  you  know  I  was  here?"  asked 
Marcy. 

"  I  knew  you  were  in  the  fleet,  of  course,  for 
the  darkies  told  us  about  the  Yankees  coming 
ashore  and  taking  you  and  Beardsley  away  to 
act  as  pilots,"  replied  Aleck.  "But  I  didn't 
know  you  were  serving  on  this  ship,  if  that  is 
what  you  mean.     Yes  ;  we're  going  now  where 


266  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

we  can  figlit  for  our  principles.  We  are  tired 
of  living  in  the  woods." 

"  But  who  will  protect  the  Union  families  if 
you  go  away  ? ' '  said  Marcy. 

"  They'll  not  need  any  one  to  protect  them 
now,"  answered  Aleck.  "I  talked  to  some 
of  the  soldiers  on  shore,  and  they  told  me 
they  were  here  to  stay  ;  and  as  long  as  they 
do  stay,  Beardsley  and  Shelby  and  among  'em 
will  keep  as  still  as  mice.  They  won't  dare  to 
do  or  say  anything  to  you  while  there  is  Union 
cavalry  scouting  around  through  the  settle- 
ment every  day  or  two.  We  left  thirteen  men 
in  the  swamp  ;  and  whether  or  not  they  will 
come  out  and  show  themselves  as  Union  men, 
depends  on  the  way  things  look  after  the  fleet 
goes  away." 

Marcy  was  on  the  point  of  telling  Aleck  that 
Beardsley  had  been  placed  in  irons  by  Captain 
Benton,  who  was  master  of  the  Mary  Hollins 
at  the  time  she  was  captured  by  the  Osprey, 
but  before  he  could  open  his  lips  a  messenger 
boy  came  up  and  told  him  that  the  captain 
wished  to  see  him  in  the  cabin.  Marcy  went, 
and  found  the  captain  seated  at  his  table  hold- 


HOME   AGAIN.  267 

ing  a  pen  in  one  liand  and  something  that 
looked  like  a  blank  sheet  of  paper  in  the 
other. 

"  Sit  down,"  said  he,  pointing  to  a  chair. 
"  I  suppose  we  are  as  near  to  your  home  as  we 
shall  go  ;  and  as  we  are  about  to  start  for  New- 
bern,  where  you  will  not  be  of  much  service  to 
US  as  a  pilot,  I  propose  to  give  you  your  re- 
lease unless  you  have  made  up  your  mind  to 
stay  w^ith  us.  I  should  be  glad  to  have  you  do 
it,  and  will  advance  your  interests  in  every 
way  I  can." 

"But  what  would  my  mother  do  without 
me  ?  "  asked  Marcy. 

"I  assure  you  I  have  not  forgotten  her,  and 
so  I  do  not  urge  you  to  remain,"  rej^lied  the 
captain.  "  Now,  how  can  you  get  home  in  the 
easiest  way  ? " 

"  By  boat,  if  I  had  one." 

"  You  can  have  three  or  four  if  you  want 
that  many.  You  know  that  we  have  captured 
every  sort  of  craft  we  could  find  along  the 
shore,  and  you  can  take  your  pick  of  any  of 
those  on  deck.  I  don't  know  that  this  will  be 
of  any  use  to  you,"  said  the  captain,  shaking 


268  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

the  sheet  of  paper  he  held  in  his  hand,  "but  I 
think  it  would  be  a  good  plan  for  you  to  take 
it  along,  for  there  is  no  telling  what  maj^  hap- 
pen. You  don't  think  there  is  anything  on 
it,  do  you?  Well,  there  is,  and  it  is  the 
strongest  letter  of  recommendation  I  know 
how  to  write.  We  are  going  to  leave  garrisons 
scattered  all  through  this  region,  and  if  at  any 
time  you  find  yourself  in  trouble  with  them, 
tell  the  first  officer  you  can  find  to  hold  this 
paper  before  a  hot  fire  and  read  the  words 
the  heat  will  bring  out.  The  letter  is  written 
with  sympathetic  ink,  and  you  don't  want  to 
use  it  until  you  have  to,  because,  after  the 
characters  have  once  been  brought  out,  there 
is  no  way  that  I  know  of  to  make  them  in- 
visible again.  I  am  deeply  indebted  to  you, 
and  wish  there  was  some  way  in  which  I  could 
serve  you." 

It  made  Marcy  sad  to  have  the  captain  talk 
to  him  in  this  way.  Although  he  was  impa- 
tient to  get  home,  he  did  not  like  to  take  leave 
of  the  new .  friends  he  had  made  on  board  that 
ship,  for  the  probabilities  were  that  he  would 
never  see  them  again.     After  thinking  a  mo- 


HOME   AGAIN.  269 

ment  he  replied  that  he  did  not  know  of  any 
way  in  which  the  captain  conld  favor  him,  unless 
it  was  by  taking  a  brotherly  interest  in  Aleck 
Webster  and  his  friends,  who  had  come  off  to 
his  ship  for  the  purpose  of  enlisting. 

"They  are  on  deck  now,"  said  Marcy,  in 
conclusion,  "and  I  was  sorry  to  see  them 
come  aboard.  Of  course  they  have  a  right  to 
do  as  they  please,  but  I  had  somehow  got  it 
into  my  head  that  they  woukl  stay  on  shore 
to  protect  those  of  us  who  are  unable  to  pro- 
tect ourselves.  But  Aleck  thinks  we  do  not 
need  any  one  to  protect  us  now  that  all  these 
captured  points  are  to  be  held  by  the  Union 
forces." 

"And  that  is  what  I  think,"  replied  the 
captain.  "The  commanding  officer  at 
Plymouth  will  not  stand  by  and  let  your  rebel 
neighbors  impose  on  you.  If  they  don't  be- 
have themselves,  report  them  ;  that's  all 
you've  got  to  do." 

"But  you  don't  know  how  sly  they  are,  and 
how  hard  it  is  to  prove  anything  against  them. 
The  commodore  as  good  as  said  th^t  Captain 
Beardsley  would  be  released." 


270  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"Of  course ;  and  Burnside  probably  re- 
leased liim  at  the  time  lie  paroled  the  prisoners 
we  captured  on  the  Island.  When  you  get 
home  you  will  probably  find  him  there,  but  I 
don't  think  you  have  anything  to  fear  from 
him.  There's  your  letter,  and  here  are  a  few 
copies  of  a  joint  proclamation  by  Burnside  and 
Goldsborough,  which  I  am  instructed  to  scat- 
ter wherever  I  go,"  said  the  captain,  placing  a 
good-sized  package  in  Marcy's  hand  and  rising 
from  his  seat  as  he  spoke.  "  Take  them  along, 
and  put  them  where  you  think  they  will  do 
the  most  good.  I  suppose  the  folks  ashore 
think  we  are  outlaws  of  the  worst  descrip- 
tion." 

Marcy  replied  that  that  was  about  the  idea 
the  people  in  his  settlement  had  of  Yankees, 
and  added  that  he  did  not  believe  that  a  single 
article  of  value  could  be  found  in  a  plantation 
house  within  a  circle  of  ten  miles  of  Plymouth, 
everything  that  was  worth  stealing  having 
been  carried  away  and  concealed  in  the 
swamps. 

"  Well,  when  you  meet  people  of  that  sort, 
call  their  attention   to  the  last  paragraph  of 


HOME  AGAIN.  271 

that  proclamation,"  said  the  captain.  "Now, 
we  shall  have  to  say  good-by,  for  I  expect  to 
drop  down  the  river  in  a  few  minutes." 

"  And  you'll  not  forget  to  look  out  for  Jack 
and  Aleck?  "  said  Marcy.  "You  know  Aleck 
is  the  man  who  saved  me  from  choking.  And 
I  can  have  my  flag  back,  I  suppose  V 

"  I'll  have  Webster  sworn  in  this  very  night, 
and  when  I  see  the  captain  of  the  Lane  I  will 
tell  him  what  I  know  about  Jack  Gray,  and 
will  say  that  his  brother  did  me  good  service 
while  the  fleet  was  in  Croatan  and  Albemarle 
sounds.  The  quartermaster  will  return  your 
flag  at  once." 

Marcy  went  into  the  state  room  that  he  had 
used  as  his  own  since  he  had  been  on  board 
the  ship,  and  when  he  came  out  he  brought 
his  valise,  in  which  he  had  stowed  the  package 
the  captain  had  intrusted  to  his  care.  The 
flag  with  which  his  Barrington  girl  presented 
him,  and  which  had  waved  triumphant  during 
three  hard  battles  and  several  sharp  skir- 
mishes, Avas  promptly  handed  out  by  the  quar- 
termaster on  watch,  and  then  Marcy  followed 
the  captain  to  the  waist,  to  pick  out  the  skiff 


272  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

that  Avas  to  take  him  to  liis  home.  As  his 
wounded  arm  was  not  yet  in  a  serviceable 
condition,  he  selected  a  boat  Avith  a  square 
stern,  that  could  be  sculled  with  one  oar. 
After  it  had  been  put  into  the  water,  and  the 
countersign,  "  Roanoke,"  had  been  whispered 
in  his  ear,  Marcy  shook  hands  all  around,  not 
forgetting  Aleck  Webster  and  the  other  Union 
men  among  the  rest,  and  pushed  off  into  the 
darkness.  The  current  was  strong,  and  Marcy 
hugged  the  bank  to  keep  out  of  it  as  much  as 
he  could,  and  by  so  doing  brought  himself 
to  the  notice  of  half  a  dozen  sentries  who  com- 
pelled him  to  come  ashore  with  the  counter- 
sign. Of  course  this  was  a  bother,  and  the 
progress  he  made  with  his  one-handed  sculling 
Avas  slow  and  laborious  ;  but  it  was  safer  than 
following  a  lonely  road  and  running  the  risk 
of  falling  in  with  some  of  those  rebel  soldiers 
whom  General  Burnside  had  sent  to  their 
homes.  Marcy  told  himself  that  that  was 
about  the  worst  thing  that  could  have  hap- 
pened to  him.  He  Avas  afraid  that  these 
paroled  prisoners  Avould  be  pliant  tools  in 
the  hands  of  Captain  Beardsley,   and    they 


HOME   AGAIN-.  273 

were  so  numei'oiis  that  the  thirteen  Union 
men,  who  were  all  there  were  left  of  tlie  band 
that  had  rescued  him  and  his  mother  from 
the  power  of  the  robbers,  could  not  hold  their 
own  against  them. 

"Things  will  be  worse  now  than  they  ever 
were  before,"  thought  Marcy,  as  he  sculled 
his  boat  out  of  tlie  river  into  Seven  Mile 
Creek,  and  sat  down  to  take  a  much-needed 
rest  and  eat  a  portion  of  the  lunch  that  Cap- 
tain Benton's  steward  had  put  up  for  him. 
"Beardsley  will  be  more  vindictive  than  ever, 
because  I  did  not  say  a  word  for  him  when  Cap- 
tain Benton  put  him  in  irons,  and  if  the  truth 
will  not  answer  his  purpose,  he'll  not  scruple 
to  lie  about  me.  He'll  try  his  best  to  force  me 
into  the  army  so  that  he  can  have  a  clear  field 
for  his  operations,  but  I'll  tell  you  what's  a 
fact,  I'll  not  go,"  said  Marcy  liotl}^  "  Jack 
declared  that  he  would  take  to  the  swamp  be- 
fore he  would  fight  for  the  Confederacy,  and 
why  shouldn't  I  do  the  same?  I  will.  I'll 
become  a  refugee  rather  than  shoot  at  the  flag 
my  brother  is  sailing  under.  Refugee :  one 
who  flees  for  refuge  or  safety.     That's  me,  as 

18 


274  MAECY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

Dick  Graham  used  to  say,  I'll  seek  safety 
among  the  Union  men  who  spend  the  most  of 
their  time  in  the  woods.  It's  my  opinion  that 
from  now  on  they  will  have  to  spend  all  their 
time  there,  for  I  don't  believe  that  the 
prisoners  Burnside  released  will  leave  any 
houses  for  them  to  go  into.  Mother's  will 
have  to  go  with  the  rest." 

Maroy  had  often  made  the  trip  from  his 
mother's  house  to  Plymouth  and  back  in  a 
rowboat,  and  if  he  thought  it  hard  when  he 
had  two  hands  to  use,  it  was  doubly  tedious 
and  discouraging  now  that  he  had  only  one, 
and  nothing  but  the  most  gloomy  thoughts  for 
company.  He  had  almost  made  up  his  mind 
that  he  would  camp  on  the  bank  for  the  rest 
of  the  night  and  walk  home  in  the  morning, 
when  he  Avas  startled  by  hearing  alow,  familiar 
whistle,  something  like  the  chirp  of  a  cricket, 
a  short  distance  away.  He  listened  until  the 
sound  was  repeated,  and  then  called  out,  in  a 
husky  voice  : 

"Julius!" 

"Hi  ya  !  "  came  the  answer  through  the 
darkness ;  and  Marcy  thought  he  had   never 


HOME   AGAIN".  275 

heard  anything  half  so  melodious  as  the  black 
boy's  laugh.  "I  done  tol'  dat  fool  niggah  he 
didn't  know  nuffin,  but  he  won't  listen  to 
Julius.  Eberybody  take  Julius  for  a  plum 
dunce  ;  but  I  done  fine  you,  Marse  Malicy,  an' 
dere's  dat  Morris " 

"Where  are  you?"  interrupted  the  boy. 
"Come  here  and  tell  me  what  you  mean,  and 
what  brought  you  here  so  far  from  home." 

"Nuffin  didn't  brungmehyar;  I  jes  done 
come,"  replied  Julius;  and  a  slight  splashing 
in  the  water  indicated  that  he  was  in  a  boat, 
and  that  he  was  pushing  off  from  the  bank  in 
the  direction  from  which  Marcy's  voice 
sounded.  "Dat  fool  Morris,  he  take  de  mu-el 
an'  de  filly  an'  done  gone  to  Nashville  lookin' 
for  you  ;  but  I  know  you  aint  gwine  come 
home  dat  a  way  fru  all  dem  rebel  soldiers,  an' 
so  I  come  hyar." 

"And  very  glad  I  am  to  see  you,"  answered 
Marcy,  laying  hold  of  the  side  of  the  dugout 
that  just  then  bumped  against  his  skiff. 
"You  came  here  to  meet  me  while  Morris 
went  to  Nashville  with  my  horse.  How  did 
you  know  I  was  coming  home  to-night?" 


276  MAKCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

"Well,  de  missus  say  you  boun'  to  come 
mighty  soon,  now  dat  de  Yankees  done  cotch 
Plymouth,  an'  so  I  come  hyar,"  rej^lied 
Julius.     "  Howdy,  Marse  Mahcy  !  " 

The  latter  replied  that  he  felt  pretty  well 
but  hungry,  although  he  had  just  finished  a 
hearty  lunch.  Julius  had  been  thoughtful 
enough  to  provide  for  that,  and  straightway 
produced  a  basket  whose  contents  would  have 
withstood  the  assaults  of  two  or  three  boys  with 
appetites  sharper  than  his  own  ;  and  while  he 
ate,  Marcy  asked  a  good  many  leading  ques- 
tions, in  the  hope  of  inducing  his  close-mouthed 
black  friend  to  tell  him  just  how  things  had 
been  going  at  home  during  his  absence.  He 
learned  that  Captain  Beardsley  had  returned 
in  company  with  some  of  the  prisoners  who 
had  been  paroled  at  the  Island,  but  so  far  as 
Julius  knew  he  had  not  set  any  new  plans 
afloat  against  Marcy  and  his  mother.  Perhaps 
he  did  not  think  it  would  be  safe  to  do  so 
until  things  became  a  little  more  settled, 
for  among  those  who  had  been  captured  at 
Roanoke  were  many  who  were  very  bitter 
against  the  Confederate  government,  and  who 


HOME   AGAIN.  277 

declared  that  tliey  would  fight  before  they 
would  go  into  the  army  again.  Some  of  the 
soldiers  had  stopped  at  the  house  to  ask  for 
something  to  eat ;  but  others  had  marched  by 
shaking  their  fists  and  yelling  derisively. 
Marcy's  heart  sank  when  he  heard  that,  for  it 
proved  that  he  had  not  been  mistaken  as  to 
the  course  Captain  Beardsley  would  pursue 
when  the  Federals  permitted  him  to  return  to 
his  home.  Undoubtedly  he  had  told  all  he 
knew  about  Mrs.  Gray  and  her  two  sons,  and 
it  would  have  been  just  like  him  if  he  had 
urged  the  defeated  and  enraged  Confederates 
to  take  satisfaction  out  of  all  the  Union  people 
they  could  find,  since  they  had  failed  to  beat 
those  who  had  confronted  them  in  battle.  In- 
deed, that  was  what  Beardsley  did  ;  and  Marcy 
afterward  found  out  why  his  scheme  did  not 
work. 

Having  taken  the  sharp  edge  off  his  appetite, 
Marcy  told  Julius  to  make  the  skiff's  painter 
fast  to  the  stern  of  his  dugout  and  go  ahead  ; 
and  the  sooner  he  reached  home  the  better  he 
would  like  it.  He  found  it  much  easier  to  lie 
at  full  length  on  the  bottom  of  his  boat,  and 


278  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

allow  Julius  to  tow  him,  than  it  was  to  work 
his  way  against  a  strong  current  with  one 
hand — so  very  much  easier,  in  fact,  that  he 
dropped  asleej)  and  slumbered  until  the  bow 
of  the  skiff  touched  the  landing  abreast  of  the 
buoy  to  which  his  little  schooner  was  moored. 
The  sight  of  her  recalled  to  mind  the  last  con- 
versation he  had  held  with  Captain  Benton. 

"  I  am  afraid  we  shall  have  to  look  up  a  new 
berth  for  the  Fairy  Belle,'^''  said  he.  "  It  may 
not  be  safe  for  her  to  stay  here  any  longer,  be- 
cause the  Yankees  are  taking  possession  of 
everything  in  the  shape  of  a  boat  that  they 
can  get  their  hands  on." 

"  What  for  dey  do  dat  ? "  exclaimed  Julius. 
"  De  boats  aint  agin  de  Union." 

"They  have  been  made  to  do  service  against 
the  Union,"  answered  Marcy,  "and  they  can 
be  used  to  carry  dispatches  from  one  side  of 
the  river  to  the  other." 

"  Well,  den,  luf  dem  go  down  an'  bus'  up 
Cap'n  Beardsley's  schooner,"  exclaimed 
Julius.  "She  wuk  agin  de  Union  when  she 
run  de  blockade." 

"I  know  that;   and  I  had  half  a  notion  to 


HOME   AGAIN.  279 

put  Captain  Benton  on  the  track  of  lier,"  said 
Marcy,  wlio  knew  very  well  that  he  had  no  in- 
tention of  doing  anything  of  the  kind.  "That 
is  the  way  he  would  serve  me  if  he  had  a 
good  chance.  Pick  up  my  valise  and  come 
along." 

When  Marcy  went  through  the  gate  he 
missed  his  faithful  Bose,  who  had  always  been 
the  first  to  welcome  him  ;  but  some  of  the 
house  servants  were  stirring,  and  these  greeted 
him  as  though  they  had  never  expected  to  see 
him  again.  They  knew  where  he  had  been 
and  what  he  had  been  doing,  and  had  thought 
of  and  prayed  for  him  as  often  as  they  heard 
the  roar  of  the  big  guns,  which  the  breeze  now 
and  then  brought  faintly  to  their  ears.  They 
made  such  a  fuss  over  him  that  Marcy  was 
saved  the  trouble  of  awaking  his  mother, 
whom  he  found  Avaiting  for  him  in  the  sitting- 
room. 

"You  told  me  that  when  I  came  home  you 
wanted  me  to  be  able  to  say  that  I  did  my 
duty,"  said  the  young  pilot,  as  his  mother 
laid  her  head  on  his  shoulder  and  cried  softly. 
"  I  can  honestly  say  it,  and  I  have  a  letter  in 


280  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

my  i)ocket  from  Captain  Benton  tliafc  will  bear 
me  out  in  it." 

"  I  am  sorry  you  brought  it  witli  you,"  said 
Mrs.  Gray.  "The  country  is  overrun  with 
Confederate  soldiers,  and  from  the  waj^  some 
of  them  behave  I  am  led  to  believe  that  they 
know  all  about  us." 

"I'll  bet  they  do,"  said  Marcy  bitterly. 
"You  know,  of  course,  that  Beardsley  was 
carried  away  the  same  night  and  for  the  same 
purpose  I  was?  Well,  the  Yankees  did  not 
call  upon  him  to  act  as  pilot,  but  x')ut  him  in 
irons  at  once  ;  and  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  he 
w^as  jparoled  at  the  time  the  other  prisoners 
were.  But  you  need  not  worry  about  my 
letter,  as  I  shall  presently  show  you.  Sit 
down,  and  tell  me  what  you  have  done  to  kill 
time  since  I  have  been  gone." 

To  his  relief  Marcy  found  that  Julius  had 
told  the  truth  for  once  in  his  life,  and  that  his 
mother  had  had  nothing  beyond  his  absence 
to  trouble  her,  if  we  except  the  demonstrations 
that  some  of  the  paroled  prisoners  made  while 
they  were  going  by  the  house.  They  had  not 
annoyed  her  by  coining  into  the  yard,  as  they 


HOME  AGAIN.  281 

might  have  done  if  their  officers  had  not  been 
along  to  restrain  them,  but  they  had  whooped 
and  yelled  and  threatened  in  a  way  that  was 
enough  to  frighten  anybody.  She  said  that 
the  excitement  and  alarm  that  took  possession 
of  the  people  when  the  news  came  that  Roa- 
noke Island  was  in  the  hands  of  the  invading 
forces,  was  something  she  would  remember  as 
long  as  she  lived.  The  news  must  have  reached 
Nashville  and  Plymouth  on  the  night  of  the 
surrender,  for  at  daylight  the  next  morning 
the  road  in  front  of  the  house  was  filled  with 
fugitives  who  Avere  making  all  haste  to  carry 
their  property  out  of  harm's  way.  If  a  body 
of  Yankee  cavalry  had  suddenly  a^Dpeared  at 
their  heels  it  would  scarcely  have  caused  a 
flutter  among  them,  for  they  were  panic- 
stricken  already. 

"The  world  is  full  of  fools,"  exclaimed 
Marcy,  undoing  the  string  that  held  together 
the  bundle  of  proclamations  that  Captain  Ben- 
ton had  given  him,  "and  the  biggest  ones  I 
ever  heard  of  live  right  around  here.  Didn't 
they  ask  you  why  you  didn'  t  pack  up  and  run, 
tooT' 


282  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"  They  did  ;  and  my  reply  was,  that  I  had  a 
son  who  had  been  impressed  into  the  Union 
service  ;  that  if  I  went  away  he  would  not 
know  where  to  look  for  me,  and  that  I  intended 
remaining  in  ray  home  until  he  returned,"  said 
Mrs.  Gray. 

"  Good  for  you,  mother ! "  exclaimed  Marcy. 
"You'll  do.  Of  course,  the  last  one  of  them 
was  suspicious  of  you,  but  you  couldn't  help 
that.  Now,  here  are  some  copies  of  a  procla- 
mation that  Captain  Benton  gave  me,  with  the 
request  that  I  would  spread  them  around  where 
they  would  do  the  most  good.  He  wished  me 
to  call  particular  attention  to  the  last  para- 
graph, and  now  I  will  see  how  it  reads." 

Seating  himself  by  his  mother's  side,  with  a 
copy  of  the  proclamation  in  his  hand,  Marcy 
proceeded  to  read  it  aloud.  After  referring  to 
the  desolating  war,  that  had  been  brought  on 
by  comparatively  few  bad  men,  the  last  para- 
graph went  on  to  say  : 

These  mea  are  your  worst  enemies.  They,  in  truth,  have 
drawn  you  into  your  present  condition,  and  are  the  real  dis- 
turbers of  your  peace  and  the  happiness  of  your  firesides.  We 
invite  you,  in  tlie  name  of  the  Constitution,  and  in  that  of  vir- 
tuous loyalty  and  civilization,  to  separate  yourselves  at  once 


HOME  AGAIN.  283 

from  their  malign  influence,  to  return  to  your  allegiance,  and 
not  compel  us  to  resort  farther  to  the  force  under  our  control. 
The  government  asks  only  that  its  authority  may  be  recognized  ; 
and  we  repeat  that  in  no  manner  or  way  does  it  desire  to  in- 
terfere with  your  laws,  constitutionally  established;  your  insti- 
tutions, of  any  kind  whatever  ;  your  property,  of  any  sort ;  or 
your  usages,  in  any  respect. 


"That  was  what  Mr.  Watkins  told  you  on 
the  night  he  took  me  away,"  said  Marcy,  when 
he  had  finished  reading  the  proclamation. 
"  He  said  that  the  South  could  end  the  war  by 
laying  down  their  arms,  and  General  Burnside 
and  Commodore  Goldsborough  say  the  same." 

"But,  my  son,  that  is  not  what  the  seces- 
sion leaders  want,"  said  Mrs.  Gray.  "They 
demand  a  separate  government,  and  say  they 
will  not  return  to  their  allegiance." 

"They'll  have  to  do  it,  and,  when  they  go 
back,  they'll  not  take  slavery  with  them. 
Mark  my  words.  The  time  is  coming  when 
the  darkies  will  be  as  free  as  we  are ;  and  I 
wish  that  time  might  come  to-morrow,  if  it 
would  only  bring  peace  upon  the  land  once 
more.  I  sometimes  think,  and  hope,  that  I  am 
having  a  horrid  dream,  and  that  I  will  wake 
up  in  the  morning  to  find  everything  as  it  was 


284  MAECy,    THE   REFUGEE. 

before.  Now,  dorr t  cry,  mother.  Til  not  talk 
so  any  more.  There's  my  tiag  as  sound  as  it 
was  when  I  took  it  away  ;  but  it  lias  been  in 
battle-smoke  so  thick  that  you  couldn't  see  it 
from  the  deck.  I  must  hoist  Dick  Graham's 
next,  but  not  until  it  can  float  in  a  breeze  that 
is  untainted  by  any  secession  rag.  That  was 
the  promise  I  made  him  when  he  gave  me  the 
flag,  instead  of  turning  it  over  to  Rodney,  who 
wanted  to  destroy  it.  Can' t  we  have  breakfast 
a  little  earlier,  so  that  I  can  go  to  town  ?  " 

"  You  can  have  breakfast  whenever  you  want 
it ;  but,  Marcy,  I  am  almost  afraid  to  have  you 
go  to  town,"  replied  his  mother, 

"If  I  thought  I  would  be  in  any  more  dan- 
ger there  than  I  am  at  home  I  wouldn'  t  stir  one 
step,"  said  the  boy.  "  I  don't  think  it  would 
be  policy  for  me  to  keep  away  from  those 
paroled  prisoners,  but  that  it  would  be  safest 
for  me  to  go  among  them  as  Captain  Beardsley 
does.  Besides,  I  want  to  hear  what  sort  of 
stories  that  old  villain  has  been  telling  about 
me  since  he  came  back.  'Now,  where  would  be 
a  good  place  to  put  Captain  Benton's  letter  ? 
We  are  liable  to  receive  a  visit  from  the  Union 


HOME   AGAIN".  285 

cavalry  any  day,  and  the  letter  ought  to  be 
kept  handy." 

In  accordance  with  Marcy's  request  break- 
fast was  served  as  soon  as  it  could  be  made 
ready,  and  during  the  i)rogress  of  the  meal 
Marcy  entertained  his  mother  with  a  glowing 
description  of  the  various  engagements  through 
which  he  had  passed  on  Cai)tain  Benton's  ves- 
sel. Contrary  to  his  expectations,  he  said,  he 
did  not  feel  frightened  when  he  went  into  the 
first  light  at  the  Island,  and  no  doubt  the  rea- 
son was  because  he  had  so  many  things  to  oc- 
cupy his  mind  ;  but  after  ihat  he  grew  pale 
and  trembled  every  time  he  heard  the  call  to 
quarters,  for  he  had  a  faint  idea  of  what  was 
before  him.  And  the  oftener  he  was  under 
lire  the  more  he  dreaded  the  thought  of  going 
into  action.  His  experience  was  like  that  of 
every  soldier  in  this  land  ;  and  when  Ave  say 
soldier  we  do  not  mean  coffee-cooler . 

Mrs.  Gray  became  alarmed  when  Marcy  told 
her  how  Captain  Beardsley  had  been  put  in 
irons  by  the  man  who  had  once  been  his 
prisoner,  for  she  was  well  enough  acquainted 
with  the  captain  to  know  that  he  would  be  re- 


286  MARCY,  tup:  iiefugee. 

venged  upon  somebody  for  it.  When  lie  had 
eaten  all  the  breakfast  he  wanted,  Marcy 
mounted  his  mother's  horse,  that  had  been 
brought  to  the  door  in  place  of  his  filly  which 
old  Morris  had  taken  to  Nashville,  and  gal- 
loped out  of  the  yard.  The  first  man  he  saw 
was  Beardsley,  standing  by  the  ruins  of  his 
house.  The  man  looked  up  when  he  heard  the 
sound  of  hoofs  on  the  road,  and  when  he  dis- 
covered Marcy  he  beckoned  him  to  come  in. 

"I've  just  thought  of  something,"  said  the 
boy  to  himself,  as  he  turned  into  the  gate. 
"  This  villain  is  going  to  play  off  friendly,  and 
I  can't  watch  him  any  too  closely.  When 
the  Yanks  get  to  scouting  through  here,  he 
will  be  the  best  Union  man  in  the  world  ;  and 
who  knows  but  he  will  send  them  to  our  house 
after  Jack's  rebel  flag?  That  flag  must  come 
down  the  minute  I  get  home." 

Then  he  rode  up  and  shook  hands  with  Cap- 
tain Beardsley,  who  acted  as  if  he  was  glad  to 
see  him. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

A   KEBEL   SOLDIER  SPEAKS. 

'T~  JUST  wanted  to  ask  you  how  and  when 
J-  you  got  back,"  said  the  captain,  holding 
fast  to  Marcy'  s  hand.  ' '  I  see  Morris  over  town 
yesterday,  and  right  there  he  is  going  to  stay 
till  you  come  to  ride  the  filly  home.  How  did 
you  like  the  Yanks,  what  you  seen  of  'em?" 

"  I  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  my  treat- 
ment," replied  Marcj^  "I  had  no  idea  that 
you  were  impressed  at  the  time  I  was,  until  I 
saw  you  on  that  gunboat." 

"  If  I'd  knowed  that  they  was  going  to  slap 
the  bracelets  onto  me,  they  never  would  have 
took  me  there  alive,"  said  Beardsley  in  savage 
tones.  "I'd  a  fit  till  I  dropped  before  I  Avould 
have  went  a  step.  Who'd  'a'  thought  that  me 
and  you  would  ever  seen  any  of  them  Hollins 
fellers  on  a  war-ship?  I'm  mighty  sorry  now 
that  I  didn't  stick  Caj^tain  Benton  in  irons  the 

887 


288  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

same  as  I  done  with  his  men,  and  it's  a  lucky 
thing  for  him  that  he  didn't  let  me  have  the 
handling  of  his  ship.  I  would  have  run  her 
so  hard  aground  that  she  would  be  there 
now." 

"  Then  it  is  a  lucky  thing  for  you  that  you 
were  sent  below,"  added  Marcy.  "  You  would 
have  been  hanging  at  the  yard-arm  in  less  than 
ten  minutes  after  you  ran  the  ship  ashore. 
Those  gunboat  fellows  don't  stand  any  non- 
sense." 

"  Mebbe  that's  so,"  said  the  captain.  "And 
sense  I've  got  home  all  right,  Tm  kinder  glad 
things  happened  as  they  did.  The  robbers 
who  went  to  your  house,  after  the  money  they 
didn't  get,  used  me  pretty  rough,  didn't 
they?"  he  added,  jerking  his  thumb  over  his 
shoulder  toward  the  spot  on  which  his  home 
had  once  stood.  "How  do  you  reckon  they 
happened  to  know  that  I  w^asn't  here  to  fight 
'em  that  night? " 

"  That  is  a  question  I  can't  answer,"  replied 
Marcy,  and  then  he  waited  for  Beardsley  to 
say  something  about  the  Union  men  who  had 
rescued  him  and  his  motlier,  but  that  seemed 


A  ep:bel  soldier  speaks.  289 

to  be  a  matter  that  the  captain  did  not  care  to 
touch  upon. 

"  Don't  it  beat  you  what  sort  of  stories  get 
afloat  these  times?"  continued  the  latter. 
"There's  plenty  of  people  about  here  who 
believe  you  uns  have  got  money  in  your 
house," 

"I  know  it.  I  told  the  robbers  there  wasn't 
a  cent  outside  of  the  little  there  was  in 
mother's  purse  and  mine,  and  asked  them  to 
look  around  and  see  if  they  could  find  any 
more.  Tliey  preferred  to  choke  a  different 
story  out  of  me,  but  they  w^ouldn't  have  got  it 
if  they  had  choked  me  to  death.  If  there  is  a 
dollar  in  the  house  besides  what  I  offered 
them,  I  don't  know  it." 

"Where's  the  prize-money  I  paid  you?" 
asked  Beardsley. 

"That  was  safely  concealed;  but  it  wasn't 
what  they  wanted,  and  so  I  said  nothing  about 
it.  They  were  after  money  which  they  and 
some  other  lunatics  think  my  mother  brought 
from  Wilmington,  when  she  went  there  to  buy 
goods." 

' '  Have  you  any  idea  who  they  were  ? " 

19 


290  MARCY,    TH»  EEFUGEE. 

"  If  I  had,  I  would  give  their  names  to  the 
Union  commander  at  Plymouth  before  I  was 
twenty-four  hours  older,"  said  Marcy  em- 
phatically. 

"I  don't  reckon  they'll  trouble  you  any 
more  after  the  lesson  they  have  had,"  said 
Beardsley ;  and  then  he  hastened  to  add  :  "I 
mean  they  won't  dare  to  pester  you,  now  that 
the  Union  soldiers  are  here.  And  speaking  of 
the  Yankees  reminds  me  of  another  thing  I 
wanted  to  ask  you.  Do  you  reckon — aint  I 
always  stood  your  friend — yourn  and  j^our 
maw's  ? " 

"  You  need  not  question  me  on  that  point. 
You  know  well  enough  how  Ave  feel  over  your 
taking  me  to  sea  when  you  didn't  need  my 
services  any  more  than  you  need  two  noses," 
said  Marcy,  for  once  permitting  his  indigna- 
tion to  get  the  better  of  him.  "  But  I  shall 
not  do  you  any  mean,  underhanded  tricks,  if 
that  is  what  you  mean." 

"  Why,  Marcy,  I  never  done  you  nary  one," 
began  Beardsley. 

"Captain,  I  know  you  from  main-truck  to 
kelson,"  answered  the  boy,  gathering  up  his 


A   REBEL   SOLDIER  SPEAKS.  291 

reins  as  if  about  to  ride  away.  "You  took 
me  from  my  mother  for  reasons  of  your  own, 
not  because  you  wanted  a  pilot ;  and  you  have 
scarcely  made  a  move  since  these  troubles  be- 
gan that  I  can't  tell  you  of.  You  ought  to  let 
up  now,  and  I  tell  you  plainly  that  you  had 
better." 

Beardsley  was  astounded.  His  victim  had 
turned  at  last,  and  showed  that  he  was  ready 
to  fight.  He  spoke  so  positively,  and  with 
such  easy  assurance,  that  the  man  was  afraid 
of  him. 

"Why,  Marcy,  sure,  hope  to  die  I  never " 

"Yes,  you  have.  You  have  been  persecut- 
ing us  systematically,  and  there's  the  proof  of 
it  right  there,"  exclaimed  Marcy,  pointing  to 
the  ruins  of  Beardsley' s  home.  "If  you  had 
quit  that  business  two  months  ago,  you  would 
have  a  house  to  live  in  now,  and  so  would  Colo- 
nel Shelby.  I  believe  I  could  have  sent  you  to 
prison  by  telling  Captain  Benton  a  few  scraps 
of  your  history,  but  I  wasn'  t  mean  enough  to 
doit." 

"No,  you  couldn't,"  declared  Beardsley, 
who  had  had  time  to  recover  a  little  of  his 


292  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

courage.  "I  never  was  in  the  Confederate  ser- 
vice ;  and  even  if  I  was,  I  can' t  be  pestered  for 
it  now,  kase  the  Yankees  done  let  me  go  with 
the  rest  of  the  prisoners." 

"You  have  been  a  smuggler,  haven't 
you?" 

"  S'pose  I  have?  I  can't  be  hurt  for  that 
now." 

"  I  almost  wish  I  had  tested  the  matter  by 
speaking  to  Captain  Benton  about  it.  If  I 
had,  I  don' t  think  you  would  have  been  turned 
over  to  the  army  to  be  paroled  with  the  other 
prisoners.  I  could  have  told  him  about  the 
Hattie,  couldn't  I?" 

"  Great  smoke  !  "  exclaimed  Beardsley.  "  I 
never  thought  of  her,  and  there  she  is  in  the 
creek,  where  they  could  have  i^icked  her  up  as 
easy  as  you  please.  It;  was  good  of  you  not  to 
say  anything  about  her,  and  if  I  ever  get  a 
chance  I'll  show  you  that  you  and  your  maw 
have  been  thinking  hard  of  me  without  a 
cause." 

Beardsley  turned  away  as  if  he  had  nothing 
further  to  say  to  Marcy,  and  the  latter  wheeled 
his  horse  and  rode  on  toward  Nashville,  won- 


A   KEBEL    SOLDIER   SPEAKS.  293 

dering  if  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  talking  so 
plainly  to  his  old  commander. 

"If  I  have  it  is  too  late  to  be  sony  for  it 
now,"  was  his  reflection.  ''  But  I  don't  think 
he  can  say  worse  things  about  me  now  than 
he  could  before.  Beardsley  is  nobody's  fool, 
though  he  does  look  like  it,  and  he  has  known 
all  along  how  mother  and  I  fee]  toward  him." 

When  Marcy  reached  the  village  he  found 
the  streets  almost  deserted  ;  but  he  knew  there 
was  a  talkative  crowd  in  the  post-office,  for 
every  time  the  door  was  opened  loud  and 
angry  voices  came  through  it.  Tom  Allison, 
Mark  Goodwin,  and  their  friends  were  not  at 
hand  to  have  the  first  talk  with  him,  as  Marcy 
thought  they  w^ould  be,  but  he  found  them  in 
the  office  listening  to  an  excited  harangue  from 
a  paroled  soldier,  who  had  discarded  his  coat 
afld  hat  and  pushed  up  his  sleeves,  as  if  he 
were  prej^ared  to  do  battle  with  the  first  one  of 
his  auditors  who  dared  dispute  his  words. 
Marcy  saw  at  a  glance  that  some  of  the  crowd 
were  very  much  shocked,  while  others  were 
grinning  broadly,  and  nodding  now  and  tlien 
as  if  to  say  that  the  speaker  was  expressing 


294  MARCY,    THE  EEFUGEE. 

their  sentiments  exactly.  Marcy  knew  him 
well.  He  lived  in  the  settlement,  and  had  been 
one  of  the  first  to  put  on  a  uniform  and  hasten 
to  the  front  ;  and  so  very  patriotic  was  he  that 
he  was  anxious  to  fight  all  his  neighbors  avIio 
could  not  be  persuaded  to  go  into  the  army 
with  him.  But  his  experience  at  Hatteras  and 
Roanoke  Island  had  somewhat  dampened  his 
ardor,  and  showed  him  that  there  were  some 
things  in  Avar  that  he  had  never  dreamed  of. 

"How  does  it  come  that  you  stay-at-homers 
know  so  much  about  this  business,  and  about 
my  duty  as  a  soldier,  that  you  take  it  upon 
yourselves  to  tell  me  what  I  had. oughter  do? " 
shouted  the  man  who  had  heard  the  shrieking 
of  Yankee  shells  at  Fort  Bartow.  "I  see 
some  among  you  who  are  mighty  hard  on  your 
niggers,  but  there  aint  one  who  is  as  hard  as 
our  trifling  officers  were  on  us.  Having  wo 
niggers  to  drive  they  took  to  driving  us  white 
men,  and  they  'bused  us  like  we  was  dogs. 
Many's  the  time  I  have  seen  men  tied  up  by 
the  thumbs  and  bucked  and  gagged  for 
nothing  at  all ;  and,  Tom  Allison,  I  give  you 
fair  warning  that  if   you  say  again  that   I'm 


A   EEBEL   SOLDIER   SPEAKS.  295 

a  coward  kase  I  don't  allow  to  go  back  and 
be  'bused  like  I  was  afore,  I'll  twist  your  neck 
for  ye." 

This  made  two  things  plain  to  Marcy  Gray. 
One  was  that  the  man  had  had  quite  enough 
of  soldiering  and  that  he  did  not  mean  to  try 
it  again  if  he  could  help  it.  The  other  was 
that  his  friend  Allison  had  presumed  to  speak 
his  mind  a  little  too  freely,  and  that  that  was 
what  started  the  prisoner  on  his  tirade  against 
those  whom  he  called  "  stay-at-homers." 
After  some  twisting,  and  turning,  and  elbow- 
ing Marcy  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  glance  iit 
Tom. 

He  was  leaning  against  one  of  the  counters, 
as  far  away  from  the  speaker  as  he  could  get, 
and  his  face  was  as  white  as  his  shirt-front. 

"  I'm  mighty  glad  to  hear  that  there's  Union 
men  among  you,"  continued  the  soldier,  "and 
if  there's  any  here  in  this  post-office  I  want 
them  to  know  that  there's  more  of  'em  now 
nor  they  was  a  week  ago,  and  that  some  of 
'em  wears  gray  jackets.  And  I  am  glad  to 
hear  that  them  same  Union  men  have  took  to 
burning  out  them  among  you  who  was  cowards 


296  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

enougli  to  persecute  ^Yomen  and  cliildren  on 
account  of  their  principles.  IS'ow,  there's 
that  trifling]  hound  Lon  Beardsley.  He  told 
me  and  some  others  who  come  up  from  the 
Island  the  same  time  he  did,  that  we  could 
make  a  pile  of  money  by  burning  Mrs.  Gray's 
house." 

Colonel  Shelby  was  one  of  those  who 
listened  while  the  angry  soldier  talked,  but 
being  a  "  stay-at-homer "  he  dared  not  inter- 
rupt him.  He  stood  where  he  could  look  over 
the  shoulders  of  some  of  the  crowd  into 
Marcy's  face  ;  and  when  the  soldier  spoke 
Beardsley' s  name,  and  told  what  the  latter 
had  tried  to  induce  hitn  and  some  companions 
to  do,  the  colonel  leaned  forward  and  whis- 
pered a  few  earnest  words  to  him.  The  man 
bent  his  head  to  listen,  but  as  soon  as  the 
colonel  ceased  speaking  he  broke  out  again. 

"I  aint  a  paroled  pris'ner  neither,"  he 
shouted.  "I  took  my  oath  that  I  wouldn't 
never  fight  agin  the  United  States  again,  and 
I'm  going  to  stick  to  it.  I'm  a  free  man  now  ; 
I  am  going  to  stay  free,  and  I  won't  shut  up 
till  I  get  ready.     When  I  say  that  Lon  Beards- 


A   REBEL   SOLDIER   SPEAKS.  297 

ley  tried  to  get  me  to  burn  Mrs.  Gray's  lioiise 
I  say  the  truth,  and  Beardsley  dassent  come 
afore  me  and  say  different.  But  I  told  him 
plain  that  we  uns  who  had  fit  and  snuffed 
powder  wouldn't  do  no  dirty  work  like  that. 
We  don't  care  if  Jack  Gray  is  in  the  Yankee 
navy  and  Marcy  was  a  pilot  on  a  Yankee  gun- 
boat. If  they  was  in  that  fight  I  done  my 
level  best  to  sink  'em  ;  but  they  whopped 
lis  fair  and  square,  and  I've  had  enough  of 
fighting  to  last  me  as  long  as  I  live.  All 
the  same  I  aint  going  to  let  no  little  whiffet 
like  Tom  Allison  call  me  a  coward." 

While  the  soldier  was  going  on  in  this  w^ay, 
pounding  the  air  with  his  fists  and  shouting 
himself  hoarse,  those  of  his  auditors  who 
could  do  so  without  attracting  too  much  atten- 
tion, secured  their  mail  and  slipped  through 
the  door  into  the  street ;  and  when  the  crowd 
became  thinned  out  so  that  he  could  see  to  the 
other  end  of  the  post-office,  Marcy  was  sur- 
prised to  discover  that  the  man  was  not  alone 
and  unsupported,  as  he  had  supposed  him  to 
be.  Six  or  eight  stalwart  fellows  in  uniform 
leaned  against  the  counters  ;  and  the  fact  that 


298  MARCY,    THE   llEFUGEE, 

they  did  not  interrupt  tlieir  comrade,  or  take 
liim  to  task  for  anything  lie  said,  was  pretty 
good  evidence  tliat  lie  sjDoke  for  them  as  well 
as  for  himself.  Among  those  who  were  glad 
to  get  away  from  the  sound  of  his  voice  were 
Tom  Allison  and  Mark  Goodwin,  who  went 
across  the  road  to  the  hitching-rack,  and  had 
time  to  do  a  little  talking  between  themselves 
before  Marcy  came  out. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  a  fellow  go  on  as  Ben 
Hawkins  did?"  whispered  Tom,  who  had  not 
yet  recovered  from  his  fright. 

"It's  just  awful  to  hear  a  Confederate 
soldier  talk  treason  like  that,"  replied  Mark. 
"  I  declare,  things  are  getting  worse  every  day. 
I  thought  that  when  our  soldiers  came  home 
they  would  hunt  the  Unionists  out  of  the 
country,  and  burn  everything  they've  got; 
but,  by  gracious  !  they  are  Unionists  them- 
selves, or  traitors  to  the  flag,  which  amounts 
to  the  same  thing.  I  tell  j^ou,  Tom,  you  came 
mighty  near  getting  j^ourself  into  serious 
trouble  by  calling  Hawkins  a  coward.  If 
ever  fire  came  from  a  man's  eyes  it  came  from 
his.     What  in  the  world  made  you  do  it?" 


A   REBEL   SOLDIER   SPEAKS.  299 

"I  called  liim  a  coward  wlien  lie  declared 
that  he  wouldn't  fight  the  Yankees  any  more, 
because  I  thought  he  was  one,"  replied  Tom. 
"And  I  still  think  so.  There  were  several 
other  soldiers  in  there,  and  I  supposed  of 
course  they  would  stand  by  me.  They  all 
know  my  father,  and  some  of  them  are  under 
obligations  to  him  ;  but  instead  of  backing  me 
in  my  efforts  to  make  Hawkins  ashamed  of 
himself,  they  stood  by  and  let  him  talk  as  he 
pleased.  I  was  glad  to  hear  him  say  what  he 
did  about  Beardsley." 

"Do  you  think  he  told  the  truth?"  asked 
Mark. 

"I  am  sure  of  it;  for  if  Beardsley  didn't 
say  something  to  him,  how  Avoukl  Hawkins 
know  that  there  was  a  big  pile  of  money  in 
Mrs.  Gray's  house?  I'm  free  to  confess  that 
I  am  getting  scared,  and  if  I  knew  any  safe 
place  around  here  1  would  go  to  it." 

"  Here,  too,"  exclaimed  Mark.  "  But,  Tom, 
this  state  of  affairs  can't  last  long.  Unless  we 
are  whipjied  already,  and  I  never  will  believe 
that  till  I  have  to,  these  places  will  all  be 
taken  from  the  enemy,  and  then  there  can  be 


300  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

something  done  toward  driving  from  tlie  conn- 
try  sncli  fellows  as  Hawkins  and " 

"And  sucli  fellows  as  this  one  coming," 
added  Tom,  with  a  slight  nod  toward  Marcy 
Gray,  who  just  then  came  out  of  the  post-ofRce. 

"Won't  he  hold  his  head  in  the  air  now  ?" 
exclaimed  Mark,  in  disgust.  "  If  he  doesn't 
know  by' this  time  that  he  is  the  biggest  toad 
in  this  puddle,  it  isn't  Hawkins's  fault. 
Doesn't  it  beat  the  world  how  some  people  can 
hold  their  own  with  a  whole  settlement  against 
them?" 

Marcy  Gray  did  not  look  as  though  he 
thought  himself  better  than  anybody  else, 
but  he  did  look  astonished  and  perplexed. 
The  scene  he  had  just  witnessed,  and  the  words 
to  which  he  had  listened,  almost  dazed  him. 
If  any  one  had  told  him  that  such  sentiments 
could  be  uttered  in  a  toAvn  like  Nashville,  nine 
out  of  ten  of  whose  citizens  were  supposed  to 
be  good  Confederates,  without  a  tragedy  fol- 
lowing close  upon  the  heels  of  it,  he  would 
have  thought  the  statement  an  absurd  one  for 
any  sane  man  to  make.  Marcy  knew  then, 
as  well  as  he  did  when  he  afterward  read  it  in 


A    RKBEL   SOLDIER   SPEAKS,  301 

one  of  his  papers,  that  the  people  of  Nortli 
Carolina  were  not  ardently  devoted  to  the 
Confederate  cause.  In  fact  "they  did  not 
care  much  for  either  party  ;  but  while  a  large 
number  of  them  would  have  liked  to  wait  for 
the  issue  of  the  struggle  to  declare  their  i:)ref- 
erences,  those  who  remained  loyal  to  the  Hag 
of  the  Union  were  too  much  afraid  of  a  turn 
of  fortune  to  avow  their  sentiments  openly." 
But  it  seemed  that  Hawkins  was  not  afraid  to 
say  what  he  thought  of  the  situation,  and 
only  one  of  the  rebels  who  listened  to  his 
speech  in  the  post-office  had  dared  dissent 
from  his  views.  That  was  Tom  Allison,  who 
came  near  having  his  neck  "twisted"  for  his 
impudence. 

"You  look  surprised,  old  fellow,"  was  the 
way  in  which  Tom  greeted  Marcy  when  he 
came  up. 

"Who  wouldn't  be?"  answered  Marcy. 
"If  all  the  paroled  prisoners  think  that  way 
the  Confederate  army  must  be  in  bad  shape." 

"  But  they  don't,"  said  Mark  hastily.  "  If 
some  of  those  Tom  and  I  talked  with  yester- 
day were  here  now,  they  would  make  Hawkins 


302  MARCY,    THE  EEFUGEE. 

sing  a  different  song,  I  bet  you.  We  found 
them  as  strong  for  the  cause,  and  as  sj)itefiil 
against  all  Unionists,  North  and  South,  as  they 
were  when  they  first  went  into  the  army. 
Hawkins  is  mad  because  he  got  whipped  ;  but 
he  will  be  all  right  a  week  from  now.  Were 
you  in  any  battles,  Marcy  ?  " 

''You  can't  think  how  astonished  we  were 
when  we  woke  up  in  the  morning  and  learned 
that  the  Yankee  sailors  had  been  through  our 
neighborhood,  and  that  nobody,  except  a  few 
niggers,  was  the  wiser  for  it,"  said  Tom. 
"Beardsley  says  you  acted  as  pilot,  but  he 
didn't.  He  positively  refused  to  do  it,  and 
the  Yankees  put  him  in  irons.  Is  that 
so?" 

"It  is  true  that  Beardsley  was  put  in  irons, 
but  not  because  he  refused  to  act  as  pilot," 
replied  Marcy.  "  He  didn't  get  a  chance  to 
say  whether  he  would  go  on  the  bridge  or  not, 
for  Captain  Benton  did  not  ask  him.  He  was 
ironed  for  the  reason  that  he  served  the  crew 
of  the  HolUns  that  way  when  he  captured 
them." 

"  Did  they  treat  yon  well  ?  " 


A   REBEL   SOLDIER  SPEAKS.  303 

"  First-rate.  They  couldn'  t  have  done  better 
if  I  had  been  one  of  them." 

"  And  you  were  one  of  them.  You  couldn't 
have  done  more  to  help  them  win  the  fight  if 
you  had  had  a  blue  shirt  on,"  were  the  words 
that  trembled  on  the  i)oint  of  Tom  Allison's 
tongue.  But  he  did  not  speak  them  aloud. 
He  had  received  one  severe  rebuke  that  morn- 
ing, and  did  not  think  he  could  stand  another  ; 
but  Ben  Hawkins  and  his  friends,  who  just 
then  left  the  post-office  and  came  across  the 
road  to  the  place  where  the  boys  were  stand- 
ing, did  not  hesitate  to  commend  Marcy  for 
the  course  he  pursued  while  on  the  gunboat. 
They  came  up  in  time  to  hear  Mark  Goodwin 
say: 

"  Why  didn't  you  run  that  ship  aground? 
That's  what  I  would  have  done  if  I  had  been 
in  your  place,  and  it  is  what  Captain  Beards- 
ley  would  have  done  if  he  had  been  allowed 
the  opportunity." 

"And  been  hung  up  by  the  neck  for  his 
trouble,"  said  Hawkins  ;  and  to  Mark's  sur- 
prise and  Tom's,  he  took  Marcy' s  hand  in  both 
his  own  and  shook  it  cordially.     It  would  have 


304  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

pleased  tliem  better  if  Hawkins  had  knocked 
Marcy  down.  That  was  the  way  they  expected 
to  see  Confederate  soldiers  treat  all  Union  men 
and  boys,  and  they  would  have  enjoyed  the 
spectacle.  "You  stay-at-homers  don't  know 
nothing  about  war,"  continued  Hawkins,  giv- 
ing way  to  his  comrades,  all  of  whom  shook 
Marcy' s  hand  one  after  the  other,  "and  we 
Tins,  who  have  been  there,  say  Marcy  acted  just 
right  in  doing  as  he  did.  I'd  'a'  done  the  same 
thing  myself,  and  so  would  any  other  man  un- 
less he  was  plum  crazy.  Go  and  get  some 
soldier  clothes  and  shoulder  muskets,  you  two. 
We've  done  our  share,  and  now  we  will  stand 
back  and  give  you  uns  a  chance  to  see  how 
you  like  it." 

"Don't  you  intend  to  return  to  the  army, 
Mr.  Hawkins?"  inquired  Marcy. 

"Well,  'cording  to  the  oath  I've  took  I 
can't,"  answered  the  soldier.  "I  did  promise 
that  I  would  never  fight  against  tlie  old  flag 
agin,  but  that's  neither  here  nor  there.  My 
year  is  pretty  nigh  np,  and  I'm  going  to  stay 
around  home  and  eat  good  grub  for  a  while. 
I  don't  mean  to  say  that  I  won't  never  'list 


A   REBEL   SOLDIER  SPEAKS.  305 

again,  but  it  won't  be  till  I've  seen  some  others 
whopped  like  I  have  been." 

He  looked  fixedly  at  Torn  as  he  said  this, 
and  the  boy,  believing  that  he  would  feel  more 
at  his  ease  if  he  were  farther  out  of  the  sol- 
dier's reach,  turned  about  and  went  toward 
the  post-office,  followed  by  his  friend  Mark. 

"  Say  !  "  whispered  Hawkins,  as  soon  as  the 
two  were  out  of  hearing.  "  I  aint  a-going  to 
ask  you  where  you  stand,  kase  that  aint  none 
of  my  business  ;  but  what's  this  I  hear  about 
your  maw  having  a  pile  of  money  in  the  house, 
and  Beardsley  and  among  'em  be  so  anxious  to 
get  it  that  they  brought  men  up  from  Newbern 
to  rob  her  of  it  ?  " 

Marcy  explained  in  few  words  ;  that  is  to 
say,  he  told  what  Captain  Beardsley  thought, 
but  he  did  not  acknowledge  that  there  was 
money  in  or  about  the  house  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  small  sum  he  had  offered  the  rob- 
bers, and  which  they  refused  to  take.  And 
then  he  asked  Hawkins  how  he  happened  to 
know  anything  about  it. 

"I  know  pretty  much  everything  that's 
happened  here  sense  I  went  into  the  army,  and 

20 


306  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

what's  more,  I  know  icliy  it  hapx^eiied,"  was 
the  answer.  "  My  folks  told  me  about  it  soon's 
I  got  home.  I  know,  too,  that  some  of  your 
friends  have  gone  into  the  Yankee  service;  but 
you've  got  a  few  yet,  and  you  see  them  right 
here  with  gray  jackets  on.  Say  nothing  to  no- 
body ;  but  there's  skursely  a  poor  man  around 
here  who  aint  beholden  to  your  folks  for 
something  or  other,  and  if  you  get  into  trouble 
we're  bound  to  help  you  out." 

"  I  am  very  grateful  to  you  for  the  assur- 
ance," said  Marcy.  "•  But  do  you  know  that 
if  you  do  not  go  back  to  serve  your  year  out, 
you  will  be  treated  as  deserters  ?  " 

"We  know  all  that,  and  we  know  better' n 
you  do  how  they  treat  deserters  in  our  army  ; 
but  it's  a  good  plan  to  catch  your  rabbit  afore 
you  cook  him,"  said  Hawkins,  with  a  grin. 
"  My  folks  wanted  me  to  stay  home  the  worst 
kind  and  see  who  was  going  to  Avhop  afore  I 
took  sides,  and  I'm  mighty  sorry  I  didn't 
listen  to  'em.  Look  out  what  you're  doing, 
you  babolitionist,"  exclaimed  Hawkins,  as  old 
Morris  elbowed  his  way  through  the  group  to 
Marcy' s  side.     "We  rebels  will  eat  you  up." 


A   REBEL   SOLDIER  SPEAKS.  307 

"I  don't  care  what  you  do  to  Morris  so 
long's  you  let  Marse  Mahcy  be,"  said  the  black 
man,  who  was  almost  ready  to  cry  when  he 
saw  the  boy  standing  before  him  as  sound  as 
he  was  when  he  left  home.  "The  Yankees 
done  kill  him — jes'  look  at  that  hand  of  hisn 
— and  now  you  rebels  done  pester  him  i^lum  to 
death." 

"Go  'long  now,  Uncle  Morris.  We  aint 
worrying  on  him  and  he  will  tell  you  so,"  re- 
plied Hawkins  good-naturedly.  "But  our 
critter-fellers  are  round  picking  up  all  the 
darkies  they  can  find  and  making  soldiers  of 
'em,  and  you  had  best  watch  out.  Don't  go 
outside  the  two-mile  limit,  or,  better  j^et,  don't 
put  your  nose  out  of  doors  after  dark." 

Hawkins  and  his  comrades  walked  away, 
and  old  Morris  turned  a  very  badly  frightened 
face  toward  Marcy. 

"Don't  mind  them,"  said  the  latter. 
"They're  soldiers,  and  of  course  they  must 
have  their  fun.  You  need  not  think  that  the 
rebels  will  ever  put  faith  enough  in  you  black 
ones  to  trust  you  with  muskets  in  your 
hands." 


308  MAKCY,    THE  KEEUGEE. 

"They'd  better  not,"  said  Morris.  "  How 
you  come  here,  Marse  Mahcy  ?  I  been  waiting 
two  days  for  you." 

The  boy  explained  that  Julius  had  found 
him  in  the  creek  and  helped  him  home,  and 
the  old  fellow  did  not  appear  to  be  well 
pleased  with  the  news,  for  he  walked  off, 
muttering  to  himself  and  shaking  his  head 
with  every  step  he  took,  to  bring  uj)  his  mule 
and  Marcy's  horse.  The  latter  did  not  wait 
for  him,  but  mounted  and  rode  homeward  ; 
and  he  was  in  so  anxious  and  unsettled  a  frame 
of  mind  that  he  could  not  bring  himself  to 
take  his  papers  from  his  pocket.  The  situa- 
tion was  something  he  had  never  dreamed  of, 
and  Marcy  did  not  believe  it  would  last  for 
any  length  of  time.  The  Confederate  authori- 
ties would  not  permit  enlisted  men  to  roam  at 
large  through  the  country,  talking  as  Hawkins 
had  done,  but  would  soon  put  a  stop  to  it  by 
some  violent  measures,  and  bring  their  dis- 
affected soldiers  to  punishment  at  the  same 
time.  The  paroled  prisoner  was  angry  over 
the  result  of  the  battles  at  Roanoke  Island  ; 
lie  must  have  been  or  he  would  not  have  ex- 
pressed himself  so  freely.     And  when  Marcv 


A   REBEL   SOLDIER   SPEAKS.  309 

reached  home  and  talked  the  matter  over  with 
his  motlier,  and  became  quieted  down  so  that 
he  could  read  his  papers  nnderstandingly,  he 
found  tliat  there  were  some  high  in  authority 
who  were  angry  over  it  also  ;  General  Wise  for 
one,  who  said  in  his  report  that  "Roanoke 
Island,  being  the  key  to  all  the  rear  defences  of 
Norfolk,  ought  to  have  been  defended  at  the 
cost  of  twenty  thousand  men,"  But  General 
Wise  did  not  stop  there.  He  sent  a  protest  to 
the  Confederate  Congress,  censuring  both  the 
President  and  Secretary  of  War,  and  the  up- 
shot of  the  matter  was  that  Mr,  Benjamin  be- 
came so  unpopular  that  he  was  forced  to 
resign.  The  general's  letter  also  opened  the 
eyes  of  the  Confederate  government  to  the  fact 
that  the  people  of  North  Carolina  were  not 
half  as  loyal  to  the  cause  as  they  ought  to  have 
been,  and  that  something  would  have  to  be 
done  about  it.  If  the  Southern  men  would 
not  enter  the  army  Avillingly,  they  must  be 
compelled  to  come  in  ;  and  this  the  govern- 
ment straightwaj^  proceeded  to  do.  Almost 
the  first  move  that  was  made  brought  about 
the  thing  that  Marcy  Gray  most  dreaded,  and 
made  a  refugee  of  him. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  YANKEE  SCOUTING  PARTY. 

MARCY  GRAY  served  as  pilot  on  Captain 
Benton's  vessel  for  a  period  of  ten  days, 
counting  from  February  8  to  the  time  the  fleet 
set  sail  for  Newbern  ;  but  the  work  the  Burn- 
side  exj)edition  had  to  do  was  not  finished  un- 
til April  26,  when  Fort  Macon,  in  Georgia, 
surrendered,  after  a  short,  but  brisk,  bombard- 
ment. This  fort  was  commanded  by  a  nephew 
of  the  Confederate  President,  who,  in  response 
to  a  summons  to  surrender,  declared  that  he 
would  not  yield  until  he  had  eaten  his  last 
biscuit.  The  Union  commander  thought  that 
a  man  who  could  talk  like  that  would  surely  do 
some  good  fighting,  but  he  was  disappointed. 
A  few  hours'  pounding  by  gunboats  and  shore 
batteries  brought  the  boastful  rebel  to  his 
senses,  and  he  was  glad  to  escape  further  pun- 
ishment by  hauling  down  his  own  flag,  and 
sending  a  white  one  up  in  place  of  it. 

310 


A    YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  311 

The  Union  forces  were  successful  everywhere 
along  the  coast ;  not  onCe  did  they  meet  with 
disaster.  The  nearest  they  came  to  it  was 
when  that  terrible  northeast  gale  struck  them 
off  Hatteras,  and  with  that  gale  they  had  their 
longest  and  hardest  battle.  Of  course,  Marcy 
Gray  did  not  get  what  he  called  "straight 
news"  regarding  these  glorious  victories,  but 
his  rebfel  neighbors  confessed  to  defeat  in  every 
engagement,  and  that  was  all  he  wanted  to 
know.  But  there  was  another  thing  that  be- 
gan troubling  him  now,  and  it  was  something 
he  had  not  thought  of.  With  the  fall  of  New- 
bern,  and  the  occupation  of  the  principal  towns 
by  the  Federal  troops,  the  regular  mails  from 
the  South  were  cut  off,  and,  for  a  time,  the 
village  of  Xashville  had  little  communication 
with  the  outside  world.  Even  rebel  news,  dis- 
torted, as  it  was,  out  of  all  semblance  to  the 
truth,  was  better  than  no  news  at  all,  and 
Marcy  declared  that  there  was  but  one  thing 
left  for  him  to  do,  and  that  was  to  ride  around 
and  gossip  with  the  neighbors,  as  Tom  Allison 
and  Mark  Goodwin  did.  His  short  experience 
aboard  the  gunboat   filled  him   with  martial 


312  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ardor,  and,  if  his  mother  had  only  been  safely 
out  of  harm's  way,  he  would  have  tried  every 
plan  he  could  think  of  to  find  Jack,  and  then 
he  would  have  shipped  on  his  vessel.  Being 
shot  at  six  hours  out  of  twenty-four  he  thought 
was  better  than  living  as  he  was  obliged  to  live 
now.  If  he  were  an  enlisted  man  he  would 
know  pretty  nearly  what  he  had  to  face  ;  now 
he  had  no  idea  of  it,  and  that  was  another 
thing  that  troubled  him.  The  news  of  the 
victories  that  were  gained  so  rapidly,  one  after 
another,  did  much  to  keep  up  his  spirits,  but 
had  the  opposite  effect  upon  Allison  and  Good- 
win, who  could  not  find  words  with  which  to 
express  their  disgust.  These  two,  as  we  have 
said,  spent'all  their  waking  hours  riding  about 
the  settlement  comparing  notes,  and  going  first 
to  one  man,  and  then  to  another,  in  the  hope 
of  hearing  something  encouraging ;  but  they 
passed  the  most  of  their  time  with  Beardsley, 
who  seemed  to  be  the  best-informed  man  for 
miles  around.  Of  course  they  did  not  place  a 
great  deal  of  faith  in  what  the  captain  told 
them  ;  but  he  was  always  ready  to  talk,  and 
that  was  more  than  other  people  seemed  will- 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  313 

ing  to  do.  Since  Ben  Hawkins  denounced  him 
in  the  post-office,  Beardsley  did  not  ride 
around  as  much  as  he  used  to  do.  .  He 
thought  he  had  better  stay  at  home  until  the 
effect  produced  by  the  rebel  soldier's  speech 
had  had  time  to  wear  away. 

On  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  March  Tom 
Allison  stood  on  the  front  j)orch  of  his  father's 
house,  thrashing  his  boots  with  his  riding- 
whip,  and  waiting  for  his  horse,  which  he  had 
ordered  brought  to  the  door,  when  he  saw 
Mark  Goodwin  coming  up  the  road  at  a  furious 
gallop.  The  two  generally  met  at  the  cross- 
roads, a  mile  away,  and  Tom  knew  in  a  mo- 
ment that  something  unusual  had  happened 
to  bring  Mark  to  the  house  ;  consequently,. he 
was  not  much  surprised  when  he  saw  that 
the  visitor's  face  was  as  white  as  a  sheet. 

"What's  broke  loose  now?"  exclaimed 
Tom,  when  his  friend  dashed  into  the  yard 
and  drew  up  in  front  of  the  porch.  "You 
look  as  though  you  Avere  frightened  half  to 
death." 

"Frightened  !  I  am  so  elated  that  I  can't 
stay  on  my  horse  a  moment  longer,"  replied 


314  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Mark;  and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word  he 
rolled  out  of  his  saddle,  X)ulled  the  reins  over 
his  horse's  head,  so  that  he  could  hold  fast  to 
them,  and  sat  down  on  the  lowest  step. 
"  Why  don't  you  whoop  and  holler  and  dance 
and — we've  licked  them  off  the  face  of  the 
earth.     Have  they  been  here  yet  ? " 

"They?  Who?"  cried  Tom.  "  What  do 
you  mean,  any  way  ?" 

"I  mean  that  you  had  better  hide  your  hunt- 
ing outfit  and  be  quick  about  it,"  answered 
Mark.  "They  took  mine  away  from  me  just 
now,  and  I  came  here  on  purpose  to  warn  you. 
You  see  it  was  this  way, "added  Mark,  as  Tom 
came  down  the  steps  and  seated  himself  by  his 
friend's  side.  "The  stories  that  have  been 
spread  abroad  about  her  being  no  good,  and 
so  heavy  that  her  engines  could  not  move  her 
from  tlie  dock  where  she  was  built,  were  all 
lies  that  were  got  up  on  purpose  to  fool  the 
Yanks ;  but  three  days  ago,  that  was  on  the 
8th " 

"Look  here,  Mark,  you've  got  two  stories 
mixed  up,"  exclaimed  Tom. 

"Two?    I've  got  half  a  do^en,  and  I  don't 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING  PARTY.  315 

know  which  to  tell  first.     And  the  beauty  of 
it  is,  they  are  all  good  ones." 

"You  said  somebody  had  taken  your  hunt- 
ing rig  away  from  you,"  Tom  reminded  him. 
"  Do  you  call  that  a  good  story  ?  " 

"I  didn't  think  abaut  that  when  I  spoke," 
replied  Mark,  jumping  up  and  looking  around 
for  a  place  to  hitch  his  horse.  Then  he  calmed 
himself  by  an  effort,  and  went  on  to  say  :  "  This 
morning  I  received  all  the  proof  I  want  that 
we  are  for  a  time  a  subjugated  people — that 
the  presence  of  a  hostile  garrison  means  some- 
thing. I  had  somehow  got  it  into  my  head 
that  the  Yankees  would  stay  inside  the  forts 
tliey  have  taken  from  us  by  their  overwhelming 
numbers,  and  that  they  would  not  have  the 
cheek  to  come  among  our  people  where  they 
know  well  enough  they  are  not  wanted,  but 
now  I  know  that  they  don't  mean  to  do  any- 
thing of  the  sort.  They  are  going  to  bother  us 
by  sending  scouting  parties  through  our  settle- 
ment as  often  as  they  feel  like  it." 

The  spiteful  emphasis  Mark  threw  into  his 
words,  and  the  look  of  disgust  his  face  wore 
while  he  talked,  brought  a  hearty  laugh  from 


316  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

somewhere.     The  boys  looked  up  and  saw  Mr. 
Allison  standing  at  the  topjof  the  steps. 

"Of  course,  Mark,  they  will  do  that  very 
thing,"  said  he.  "  They  will  make  it  their 
business  to  annoy  us  in  every  way  they  can. 
Do  I  understand  you  ta  say  that  they  came  to 
your  house  this  morning?" 

"Yes,  sir,  they  did,"  said  Mark  angrily. 
"There  were  about  fifty  of  them  in  the  party. 
They  asked  for  father,  and  when  he  sent  back 
word,  as  any  other  Southern  gentleman  would 
have  done,  that  he  would  hold  no  intercourse 
with  the  invaders  of  his  State " 

"Was  your  father  crazy  enough  to  send 
them  any  such  message  as  that?"  exclaimed 
Mr.  Allison,  who  was  very  much  aston- 
ished. 

"  Of  course  he  sent  them  that  message,"  re- 
plied Mark,  becoming  surprised  ill  his  turn. 
"  Wouldn't  you,  if  you  had  been  in  his  place  ? " 

"Indeed,  I  would  not,"  said  Mr.  Allison,  de- 
cidedly. 

"  My  father  is  a  brave  man,"  added  Mark, 
in  a  tone  which  implied  that  that  was  more 
than  he  could  say  of  the  gentleman  to  whom 


A  YANKEE   SCOUTING   PAKTY.  317 

he  was  speaking.  ' '  He  looks  down  on  a 
Yankee." 

"So  do  I;  but  that  is  no  reason  why  I 
should  make  a  fool  of  myself  when  they  come 
to  my  lious.e  fifty  strong  and  send  word  that 
they  want  to  see  me.  It's  a  wonder  they 
didn't  hang  your  father,  or  take  him  away 
with  them." 

"We  thought  that  was  just  what  they 
meant  to  do,"  said  Mark,  with  a  shudder, 
"for  four  or  five  of  them  came  rushing  into 
the  house,  and  I  tell  you  they  talked  and  acted 
savage." 

"Well,  what  did  they  want?"  asked  Tom. 

"  They  wanted  to  know  if  we  had  any  weap- 
ons in  the  house,"  answered  Mark.  "And 
when  we  told  them  no,  they " 

"  That  was  another  foolish  thing  for  you  to 
do,"  Mr.  Allison  interposed.  "Your  people 
must  have  taken  leave  of  their  senses  since  I 
last  saw  them.  When  you  said  there  were  no 
weapons  in  the  house,  they  proceeded  to  search 
for  them." 

"  That  is  just  what  they  did,"  replied  Mark, 
with  tears  of  rage  in  his  eyes.     ' '  And  we  had 


318  MAKCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

to  stand  there  and  see  tliem  iDull  the  house  to 
pieces " 

"  And  steal  everything  they  could  lay  their 
hands  on,"  chimed  in  Tom. 

"  Of  course.  That's  a  foregone  conclusion  ; 
although  I  did  hear  my  mother  say  that  she 
passed  her  bedroom  door  while  the  search  was 
going  on,  and  there  was  her  jewelry  lying  on 
the  bureau,  and  a  soldier  with  a  carbine  keep- 
ing guard  over  it." 

"  That  was  done  for  effect,"  declared  Tom. 
"  When  she  comes  to  look  into  the  matter,  she 
will  find  that  she  hasn't  so  much  as  a  breastpin 
left.  Did  they  take  your  father's  pocket- 
book?" 

"  I  haven't  the  least  doubt  of  it,  although  I 
did  not  see  them  do  it,"  said  Mark,  who  wished 
he  could  add  effect  to  his  story  by  saying  that 
he  had  seen  his  father  robbed  of  his  money. 
"  They  were  the  very  worst-looking  lot  I  ever 
saw— all  Irish  and  Dutch ;  not  a  gentleman 
among  them." 

"But  what  did  they  steal  besides  your 
weapons?"  inquired  Mr.  Allison, 

"I  didn't   see   that    they   took   a  thing," 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING  PARTY.  319 

Mark  was  obliged  to  confess,  "  but,  of  course, 
I  did  not  look  into  their  x)ockets.  When 
father  heard  them  coming,  he  slioved  his  re- 
volver between  the  mattresses  on  his  bed  ;  but 
he  might  as  well  have  left  it  in  plain  sight,  for 
the  first  thing  those  Yankees  did  when  they 
went  into  his  room  was  to  pull  that  bed  to 
pieces.  Then  they  went  upstairs  into  my 
room  and  walked  off  with  my  fine  rifle  and 
shot-gun.  One  of  them  grinned  when  he  went 
out,  and  said  that  for  a  place  that  had  no 
weax^ons  in  it,  he  thought  our  house  had 
panned  out  pretty  well.  I  tell  you  that  made 
me  mad." 

"And  do  you  think  they  are  coming  this 
way?"  asked  Mr.  Allison. 

"  I  believe  they  will  visit  every  house  in  the 
settlement  before  they  quit,"  replied  Mark  ; 
whereupon  Tom  got  up  and  acted  as  though 
he  wanted  to  do  something.  "They  must 
have  robbed  other  houses  before  they  came  to 
ours,  for  I  noticed  that  several  of  them  carried 
sporting  rifles  and  fowling-pieces  in  addition 
to  the  carbines  that  were  slung  at  their 
backs.     It  is  my  oiDinion  that  you  had  better 


320  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE, 

wake  up,  if  you  want  to  save  tlie  guns  that  cost 
you  so  much  money." 

Mr.  Allison  evidently  thought  so,  too,  for 
he  turned  about  and  went  into  the  house, 
Avhither  he  was  followed  by  Tom  and  Mark  as 
soon  as  the  latter  had  hitched  his  horse.  The 
boys  went  at  once  to  Tom's  room  and  opened 
the  closet,  in  which  was  stowed  away  one  of 
the  finest  and  most  expensive  hunting  outfits 
in  that  part  of  the  State. 

"Sooner  than  let  this  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy  I  would  break  it  in  pieces  over 
the  chopping-block,"  said  Tom,  looking  ad- 
miringly at  the  handsome  muzzle-loading  rifle 
he  had  carried  on  more  than  one  excursion 
through  the  Dismal  Swamp. 

"Oh,  I  wouldn't  do  that,"  replied  Mark. 
"  Take  it  into  the  garden,  and  shove  it  under 
some  of  the  bushes.  Go  ahead  and  I  Avill  fol- 
low with  the  shot-gun ;  but  be  sure  and  take 
the  flask,  horn,  game-bags,  and  everything 
else  belonging  to  them,  for  if  they  find  part  of 
the  rig  they  will  want  to  know  where  the  rest 
is." 

Mark's    suggestions    were   carried  out,  and 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  321 

just  in  the  nick  of  time  too ;  for  as  the  boys 
were  returning  from  the  garden,  in  which  they 
had  hastily  concealed  the  guns  and  their  ac- 
coutrements, they  heard  the  pounding  of  a  mul- 
titude of  hoofs  on  the  road  and  hastened 
through  the  hall  to  the  front  jDorcli  in  time  to 
see  a  small  squad  of  cavalry  ride  into  the  yard, 
while  another  and  larger  body  of  troopers 
halted  outside  the  gate.  It  was  plain  that  Mr. 
Allison  did  not  intend  to  follow  the  example 
of  his  foolhardy  neighbor,  and  so  run  the  risk 
of  bringing  upon  himself  the  vengeance  of  the 
men  he  could  not  successfully  resist,  for  he 
stood  out  in  plain  view  of  them,  and  even  re- 
turned the  military  salute  of  the  big  whiskered 
man  who  rode  at  the  head  of  the  squad. 

"They  are  the  same  who  robbed  our  house," 
said  Mark,  in  an  excited  whisper.  "Will 
they  know  me,  do  you  think  ?  And  if  so,  will 
they  do  anything  to  me  for  warning  you  ?  " 

Tom  Allison  did  not  reply,  for  his  attention 
was  wholly  occupied  by  the  Yankee  soldiers, 
the  first  he  had  ever  seen.  They  were  not 
ragged  and  dirty  like  most  of  the  paroled 
Confederates  who  passed  through  the  settle- 

21 


322  MARCy,    THE   liEFUGEE. 

ment  a  few  days  before.  On  the  contrary, 
they  were  well  and  warmly  dressed,  and,  like 
the  horses  they  rode,  looked  as  though  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  good  living. 

"Good-morning,''  said  the  captain  pleas- 
antly. "  It  is  my  duty  to  ask  if  you  have  any- 
thing in  the  shape  of  weapons  in  your  house." 

To  the  surprise  of  both  the  boys  Mr.  Allison 
replied  : 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  have." 

"  That's  honest,  at  any  rate,"  said  the  cap- 
tain.    "  Will  you  please  bring  them  out  ? " 

" Do  you  intend  to  take  them  from  me?" 
said  Mr.  Allison. 

"  I  think  you  understand  the  situation  as 
well  as  I  could  explain  it  to  you,"  answered 
the  soldier,  nodding  toward  Mark  Goodwin, 
whom  he  recognized  as  soon  as  he  looked  at 
him  ;  and  as  if  to  show  that  he  was  not  in  the 
humor  to  put  up  with  any  nonsense,  he  dis- 
mounted, his  exami^le  being  quickly  followed 
by  his  men. 

"Of  course  I  will  bring  them  out,"  Mr. 
Allison  hastened  to  say.  "But  they  are  heir- 
looms and  I  don't  like  to  part  with  them. 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTITSTG   PARTY.  323 

Besides,  they  are  no  longer  of  use  as  weap- 
ons." 

He  went  into  the  house  as  he  said  this,  and 
the  captain,  who  seemed  to  be  a  lively,  talka- 
tive fellow,  and  good-natured  as  well,  even  if 
he  was  a  Yankee,  turned  to  Mark  and  said  : 

"  You  beat  me  here,  did  you  not  ?  " 

"  I  hope  there  was  nothing  wrong  in  my 
coming,"  said  Mark,  beginning  to  feel  un- 
easy. 

"Nothing  whatever.  You  have  aright  to 
go  where  you  please  and  do  what  you  like,  so 
long  as  you  do  not  set  the  graybacks  on  us." 

"  Graybacks  1  "  said  Mark  inquiringly. 

"  Yes.     Johnnies — rebel  cavalry." 

"Oh!  AVell,  there  are  none  around  here 
that  I  know  of,  but  you  can  find  plenty  of 
them  a  few  miles  back  in  the  country,"  said 
Mark,  who  was  a  little  surprised  to  hear  him- 
self talking  so  freely  Avitli  this  boy  in  blue  who 
had  carried  things  with  so  high  a  hand  in  his 
father's  house  a  short  time  before  ;  and  then, 
emboldened  by  the  ^sound  of  his  own  voice, 
and  prompted  by  an  idea  that  just  then  came 
into  his  mind,  he  added  :  "  I  can' tell  you  where 


324  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

you  will  find  one  rebel  and  also  a  rebel  flag,  if 
you  would  like  to  have  it  for  a  trophy." 

These  words  almost  knocked  Tom  Allison 
over,  but  at  the  same  time  they  loosened  his 
tongue. 

"That's  so,  but  I  never  should  have  thought 
to  si^eak  of  it,"  he  exclaimed.  "  Go  back  the 
way  you  came  until  you  strike  the  big  road, 
then  turn  to  the  left  and  stoj)  at  the  first  house 
you  come  to." 

"And  remember  that  you  will  pass  ruins  on 
your  left  hand  before  you  get  where  you  want 
to  go,"  added  Mark,  who  did  not  mean  that 
the  Yankee  ofiicer  should  miss  his  way  for 
want  of  explicit  directions. 

"Who  lives  there?"  inquired  the  latter, 
looking  sharply  at  the  two  boys  as  if  he  meant 
to  read  their  thoughts,  and  find  out  what  ob- 
ject they  had  in  view  in  volunteering  so  much 
information.  "  He  must  be  a  rebel,  of  course, 
if  he  has  a  rebel  flag  in  his  possession." 

"His  name  is  Marcy  Gray,  and  he  is  rebel 
or  Union,  just  as  it  happens,"  said  Tom.  "  He 
has  been  pilot  on  a  privateer  and  blockade 
runner." 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  325 

"  Aha  !  "  said  tlie  captain. 

"Yes,"  continued  Tom.  "But  the  minute 
you  Yankees  came  here  and  captured  the  Isl- 
and he  quit  business  and  came  home." 

"Which  was  the  most  sensible  thing  he 
could  have  done,"  said  the  officer.  "Are 
there  any  weapons  in  the  house,  do  you 
know?" 

Before  either  of  the  boys  could  reply  Mr. 
Allison  came  out  upon  the  porch,  bringing 
with  him  the  "  heirlooms  "  of  which  he  had 
spoken — an  old  officer's  sword  and  a  flint-lock 
musket  that,  so  he  said,  had  passed  the  winter 
with  Washington  at  Yalley  Forge. 

"If  that  is  the  case  I'll  not  touch  them," 
said  the  captain.  "  These  are  all  you  have,  I 
suppose  ? " 

"There  are  no  other  weapons  in  the  house," 
replied  Mr.  Allison. 

The  officer  smiled,  gave  Mark  Goodwin  a 
comical  look,  and  then  mounted  his  horse  and 
rode  out  of  the  yard  without  saying  another 
word.  Mr.  Allison  and  the  boys  watched  him 
until  he  joined  his  command  and  with  it  dis- 
appeared down  the  road,  and  then  Mark  said : 


326  MAP.CY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"What  do  you  reckon  lie  meant  by  grin- 
ning at  me  in  that  fashion  1 " 

"He  meant  that  those  'heirlooms'  of 
father's  did  not  fool  him  worth  a  cent,"  an- 
swered Tom.  "The  next  officer  who  comes 
here  will  say :  '  Perhaps  there  are  no 
weapons  in  the  house,  but  are  there  any 
around  it  % '  And  then  he  will  turn  his  men 
loose  in  the  yard  and  root  up  everything. 
Those  guns  of  mine  must  go  in  some  safer 
place  as  soon  as  night  comes.  IS'ow  give  us 
one  of  your  good  stories,  Mark." 

"That's  so,"  exclaimed  the  latter.  "The 
sight  of  those  Yankees  made  me  forget  all 
about  it.  You  know  that  big  iron-clad  of  ours 
that's  been  building  up  at  Portsmouth,  don't 
you?" 

"Aw!  I  don't  w^ant  to  hear  any  more 
about  her,"  cried  Tom.  "  She  is  a  rank  fail- 
ure. ' ' 

"Judging  by  the  stories  that  have  been  cir- 
culated about  her  she  was  a  failure  ;  but 
judged  by  the  work  she  did  three  days  ago 
she  is  a  glorious  success,"  rei:)lied  Mark,  i:)aus- 
ing  for  a  moment  to  enjoy  the  surprise  which 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  327 

his  statement  occasioned  among  his  auditors  • 
for  now  that  the  Yankees  had  taken  them- 
selves off,  without  turning  the  house  upside 
down  or  insulting  anybody,  the  whole  family 
came  out  on  the  porch,  and  a  servant  brought 
chairs  enough  to  seat  them  all.  "She  cap- 
tured and  burned  the  Congress^  sunk  the 
Cumberland,  and  if  there  had  been  a  few 
hours  more  of  daylight,  she  would  have  served 
the  rest  of  the  Yankee  fleet  in  the  same  way." 

"Why,  Mark,  when  did  this  happen?"  in- 
quired Mrs.  Allison. 

"  And  where  ? "  chimed  in  Tom, 

"  And  how  did  you  hear  of  it,  seeing  that  the 
Yankees  have  rendered  our  post-office  at  Nash- 
ville useless  to  us  ?"  said  his  father. 

"  It  happened  on  the  afternoon  of  the  Sth  of 
March,  and  the  scene  of  the  conflict  was  Hamp- 
ton Roads,  off  the  mouth  of  the  James,"  an- 
swered Mark.  "  My  father  told  me  of  it  last 
night,  and  he  first  got  the  news  from  Captain 
Beardsley,  who " 

"  Ah  !  I  was  afraid  there  wasn't  a  word  of 
truth  in  it,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Allison. 

"  But  it  is  true,  every  word  of  it,"  said  Mark 


328  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

earnestly.  "Beardsley  always  has  been  half 
crazy  over  that  vessel,  for  he  says  he  has  seen 
and  talked  with  sailor-men  who  have  been  all 
over  her  ;  and  he  has  more  than  once  declared 
that,  w^hen  she  was  ready  for  sea,  she  would 
make  a  scattering  among  the  Yankee  fleet  at 
Fortress  Monroe.  He  told  father  that  he  had 
heard  a  letter  read  that  was  in  some  way  smug- 
gled through  from  Norfolk  yesterday,  and 
that  that  letter  was  written  by  a  man  who 
took  part  in  the  fight.  All  the  same  father 
would  not  believe  it  until  he  had  seen  and 
read  the  letter  himself.  He  thinks  it  is  true, 
and  so  do  I." 

"I  certainly  hope  it  is,"  said  Mrs.  Allison. 
"But  those  Yankees  who  came  here  a  while 
ago  acted  more  like  victors  than  like  beaten 
men." 

Mark  Goodwin,  who  of  course  got  his  ideas 
from  his  father,  declared  that  they  would  not 
act  that  way  much  longer  ;  for  as  soon  as  the 
Federal  fleet  at  Fortress  Monroe  had  been  dis- 
posed of,  Commodore  Buchanan,  the  gallant 
commander  of  the  Virginia,  would  have  his 
choice  of  two  courses  of  action :  he  could  not 


A  YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  329 

carry  coal  enough  to  run  up  and.  lay  tlie  city 
of  New  York  under  contribution,  but  lie  could 
reduce  Fortress  Monroe  and  bombard  Washing- 
ton, or  he  could  come  South,  scatter  Golds- 
borough's  fleet,  and  recapture  Pamlico  and 
Albemarle  sounds. 

"Glory!"  shouted  Tom,  jumping  up  and 
throwing  his  hat  into  the  air ;  and  even  his 
father  began  to  show  signs  of  excitement. 
"  Tell  him  not  to  mind  us,  but  to  go  up  and  lay 
Washington  in  ashes.  Our  papers  said  long 
ago  that  it  must  be  purifled  by  fire  before 
Southern  legislators  would  consent  to  go  there 
again.  Well,  which  course  did  Buchanan  de- 
cide to  follow?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  Mark.  "  I  wish  I 
did  ;  but  that  letter  was  written  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  8th,  after  the  Virginia  drew  out  of 
the  fight  and  came  back  to  Norfolk." 

"Were  any  of  our  brave  fellows  injured?" 
asked  Mrs.  Allison. 

"  Oh,  yes.  Buchanan  himself  was  wounded, 
and  treacherously  too.  When  the  Congress 
struck  her  flag  and  our  boats  went  alongside  to 
take  possession  of  her,  she  opened  fire  on  us 


330  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

again.  That  made  Biiclianan  mad,  and  he 
riddled  her  with  his  big  guns  till  he  killed  her 
captain  and  more  than  a  hundred  of  her  crew." 

"She  was  deservedly  punished,"  said  Mrs. 
Allison,  and  all  on  the  porch  agreed  with  her, 
though  there  was  not  a  word  of  truth  in  the 
story.  The  volley  of  musketry  that  was 
poured  into  the  Confederate  small  boats  came 
from  the  Union  troops  on  shore,  who  did  not 
know  that  the  Congress  had  surrendered. 

"Go  on  and  tell  us  some  more  good  news," 
said  Tom,  when  his  friend  settled  back  in  his 
chair. 

"  That's  about  all  I  heard,  because  the  letter 
did  not  go  much  into  particulars  ;  but  there'll 
be  others  smuggled  through  in  a  day  or  two, 
and  some  papers,  most  likely,  and  then  I  shall 
expect  to  hear  that  our  fellows  are  in  Washing- 
ton. At  any  rate  the  people  around  here  are 
acting  on  the  supposition  that  we  have  got  the 
upper  hand  of  the  Yanks,  and  I  want  to  be 
able  to  say  that  I  had  a  hand  in  whipping 
them,  so  I  have  joined  the  Home  Guards.  So 
has  my  father." 

"  The  Home  Guards  ?  "  echoed  Tom. 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  331 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  there  was  an  organi- 
zation of  that  kind  in  the  settlement,"  said 
Mr.  Allison. 

"I  didn't  either  until  father  told  me  last 
night,"  answered  Mark.  "And  lam  a  little 
too  fast  in  saying  that  I  have  joined.  I  am 
going  to  hand  in  my  name  this  very  day,  and 
Tom,  you  must  go  with  me." 

"I'll  do  it,"  said  Tom,  getting  uj^on  his  feet 
and  squaring  off  at  an  imaginary  antagonist. 
"  What  are  we  going  to  do  ?  Who  are  we 
going  to  whip,  and  what  is  the  object  of  the 
thing,  any  way  ? ' ' 

"  Well,  I — we're  going  to  fight,"  replied 
Mark. 

"I  suppose  one  object  of  the  organization  is 
to  keep  the  spirit  of  i)atriotism  alive  among 
our  people,"  observed  Mr.  Allison. 

"That's  the  idea  ;  and  to  make  the  traitors 
among  us  shut  their  mouths  and  quit  carrying 
their  heads  so  high,"  cried  Mark,  "They 
have  had  comx^anies  of  this  kind  in  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee  for  a  long  time  ;  and  in  Missouri 
the  State  Guards,  as  they  are  called,  have  done 
the  most  of  the  fighting.     Ben  Hawkins  says 


332  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

that  if  we  had  had  strong  companies  of  well- 
disciplined  Home  Guards  around  here,  Roa- 
noke Island  would  not  have  been  captured." 

"  Who  cares  what  Ben  Hawkins  says  ?  "  ex- 
claimed Tom.  "  He's  a  traitor  ;  and  when  he 
declared  that  he  wouldn't  fight  for  the  South 
any  more,  I  told  him  to  his  face  that  he  was  a 
coward." 

"Oh,  my  son,"  said  the  doting  mother,  "I 
am  afraid  your  high  spirit  will  bring  you  into 
trouble  some  time." 

Mark  Goodwin  knew  that  his  friend's  "  high 
spirit"  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  scathing  re- 
bukes he  had  received  in  the  post-office.  His 
unruly  tongue  and  his  want  of  common  sense 
were  to  blame  for  it. 

"Is  Mr.  Goodwin  a  member  of  the  Home 
Guards?"  inquired  Mr.  i^llison.  "Then  I 
think  I  will  ride  over  and  have  a  talk  with  him. 
From  his  house  I  will  go  to  town  and  see  if  I 
can  learn  more  of  that  glorious  victorj^  in 
Hampton  Roads." 

The  gentleman  went  into  the  house  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  and  Tom  and  Mark  de- 
scended the  steps  out  of  ear-shot  of  the  rest  of 


A   YANKEE   SCOUTING   PAliTY.  333 

tlie  family.  "Where  shall  we  go?"  was  the 
first  question  they  asked  each  other. 

"  I  wish  we  could  go  to  half  a  dozen  different 
places  at  once,"  said  Tom,  at  length.  "If  we 
go  to  Beardsley's  we  may  be  sorry  we  didn't 
go  to  town  ;  and  if  we  call  on  Colonel  Shelby, 
to  see  if  he  can  tell  us  anything  about  that 
fight,  we  may  be  sorry  we  didn't  go  somewhere 
else.     What  do  you  say  ?" 

"  I  say,  let's  ride  over  to  Beardsley's  in  the 
first  place,  and  to  Marcy  Gray's  in  the  next." 

"And  so  follow  up  that  squad  of  thieving 
Yankees  and  see  what  damage  they  did  ? 
If  they  overhauled  Gray's  house  I  can  pre- 
tend to  sympathize  with  them,  you  know, 
for  that  was  the  way  they  served  us." 

"Overhaul  nothing!"  exclaimed  Tom  in 
disgust.  "Mark  my  words:  I  don't  believe 
they  went  near  the  Grays ;  but  if  they  did, 
they  treated  them  with  more  civility  than 
they  showed  my  father.  Come  along,  and  see 
if  I  haven't  told  you  the  truth." 

Tom's  horse  was  ready  and  waiting,  and  a 
rapid  ride  of  twenty  minutes  brought  him  and 
Mark  to  a  field  in  which  Beardsley  was  work- 


334  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ing  with  some  of  his  negroes.  When  he  saw 
tliem  approaching  he  shied  a  chip  he  heki  in 
his  hand  at  the  head  of  the  nearest  darky, 
who  caught  sight  of  it  in  time  to  dodge,  and 
came  up  to  the  fence  to  wait  for  tliem.  His 
actions  proved  that  he  Avas  full  of  good  news, 
for  he  placed  his  hands  on  his  knees,  bent 
himself  half  double,  looked  down  at  the 
ground,  and  shook  his  head  as  if  he  were 
laughing  heartily.  When  he  reached  the 
fence  he  pounded  the  top  rail  with  his  fist,  and 
shouted  as  soon  as  the  boys  came  within 
speaking  distance  : 

'•Have  them  varmints  been  up  to  your 
house  ? ' ' 

"Do  you  mean  the  Yanks?"  answered 
Mark,  as  he  and  Tom  reined  their  horses 
across  the  ditch  to  the  place  Avhere  the  man 
was  standing.  "I  should  say  so;  and  you 
ought  to  have  seen  the  way  they  conducted 
themselves.  Just  because  my  father  stood  on 
his  dignity  as  any  other  Southern  gentleman 
would." 

"Well,  he  was  a  fule  for  standing  on  his 
dignity   or  anything  else,"    said  the  captain- 


'  A   YANKEE   SCOUTING   PARTY.  335 

bluntly.  "You  didn't  ketch  your  Uncle 
Lon  trying  to  ride  no  such  high  horse  as  that 
there,  I  bet  you,  kase  fifty  agin  one  is  too 
many.  I  was  right  here  in  this  field  when 
they  come  along,"  continued  Eeardsley,  rest- 
ing his  right  foot  upon  one  of  the  lower  rails 
and  both  his  elbows  on  the  top  one,  for  he 
never  could  stand  alone  if  there  were  anj^thing 
he  could  conveniently  lean  upon,  "  and  when 
they  asked  me  did  I  have  any  weapons  of  any 
sort  up  to  the  house,  I  told  'em  I  had  for  a 
fact,  and  if  they  didn't  mind,  I'd  go  up  and 
bring  'em  out.  So  I  dim  the  fence  and  went 
along." 

Here  the  captain  went  off  into  another 
paroxysm  of  laughter,  shaking  his  head  and 
pounding  the  top  rail  with  his  clenched  hand. 

"  Well,  Avliat  did  you  give  them  when  you 
reached  the  house?"  asked  Mark  impa- 
tiently. 

"Nothing  in  the  wide  world  but  an  old  shot- 
gun that  belonged  to  one  of  the  boys  that 
used  to  come  out  from  Nashville  squirrel 
shooting  once  in  a  while,  and  that  I  wouldn't 
fire  off  if  you'd  give  me  a  five-dollar  gold 


336  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

piece,"  cliiickled  Beardsley.  "  The  rest  of  my 
sliooting-irons  is  hid  where  they  won't  find 
'em.  You  see  I  suspicioned  that  they  would 
do  something  of  this  kind  as  soon's  they  got  a 
foothokl  here,  and  so  I  toted  my  guns  out  in 
the  garden  and  shoved  'em  under  some  bresh 
there  is  there." 

"You  had  better  hunt  up  a  better  hiding- 
place  for  them  the  first  thing  you  do,"  said 
Tom  earnestly.  "There's  where  I  put  mine 
when  Mark  warned  me,  but  I  am  not  going,  to 
leave  them  there.  The  Yankee  who  came  to 
our  house  was  as  much  of  a  gentleman  as  one 
of  his  kind  could  be,  but  the  next  one  who 
comes  along  may  be  a  different  sort.  Did  they 
go  to  Marcy  Gray' s  ?  " 

"Bet  your  life,"  said  the  captain,  with 
another  chuckle.  "Do  you  reckon  I'd  let 
them  miss  that  place  ?  I  sent  them  there,  and 
they  was  gone  long  enough  to  give  the  house 
a  good  overhauling  ;  but  what  I  can't  quite 
see  through " 

"We  sent  them  there  too,"  exclaimed  Tom. 
"Did  you  see  them  when  they  returned? 
What  did  they  have  ?  " 


A    YANKP]E   SCOUTING   PARTY.  337 

"I'll  bet  tliey  made  Marcy  hand  over  tliat 
fine  hunting  rig  in  which  he  takes  so  much 
pride,"  added  Mark.  "I'd  give  a  dollar  if  I 
could  have  looked  into  his  face  about  the  time 
he  gave  up  that  boss  shot-gun  of  his,  that  I 
have  heard  him  brag  about  until  it  made  me 
sick." 

"Why  didn't  they  take  Marcy  himself  as 
well  as  the  guns?"  continued  Tom.  "He 
couldn't  deny  that  he  has  given  aid  and  com- 
fort to  the  Confederates  by  running  the  block- 
ade and  capturing  vessels  for  them." 

"And  if  he  did  deny  it,  how  did  he  explain 
the  presence  of  that  Confederate  flag  in  his 
house  ?  "  demanded  Mark. 

"  Hold  on  till  I  tell  you  how  it  was,"  said 
Beardsley,  as  soon  as  the  boys  gave  him  a 
chance  to  speak.  "Them  Yankees  went  up  to 
Grays',  like  I  told  you,  and  I  was  here  when 
they  come  back  ;  but  they  didn't  have  the  first 
thing." 

"  Whoop  !     Then    they  didn't   search   the 
house,"  yelled  Mark.     "Marcy  and  Jack  have 
more  shot-guns  and  sporting  rifles  than  any 
two  other  boys  in  the  country." 
23 


338  MAKCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

"Leastwise  they  didn't  iind  nothing  that 
was  contraband  of  war,"  said  the  captain. 
"Them  is  the  very  words  they  spoke  to  me." 

Tom  and  Mark  looked  at  each  other  in 
speechless  amazement. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY. 

IF  you  would  like  to  know  why  Captain 
Burrows  (that  was  the  name  of  the  officer 
who  commanded  the  Union  troopers)  did  not 
find  in  Mrs,  Gray's  house  any  articles  that 
were  contraband  of  war,  we  will  ride  with  him 
and  his  company  long  enough  to  find  out. 

During  the  days  of  whicli  we  write  scouting 
was  a  necessary  duty,  but  it  sometimes  hap- 
pened that  it  was  one  of  the  most  disagreeable, 
particularly  when  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  a  gentle- 
man like  Captain  Burrows,  and  his  orders 
compelled  him  to  enter  private  houses  whose 
only  inmates  were  supposed  to  be  women  and 
children  ;  but  now  and  then  these  scouts  found 
able-bodied  men  in  uniform  concealed  in  dwell- 
ings that  were  thought  to  be  occupied  wholly 
by  non-combatants.  During  the  Yazoo  Pass 
expedition  the  gunboat  to  which  we  belonged 


840  MAROY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

was  ordered  to  search  all  the  houses  along  the 
banks  of  the  Coldwater  and  Tallahatchie 
rivers,  although  we  knew  that  that  impor- 
tant duty  had  already  been  performed  by  the 
soldiers.  In  one  house,  whose  female  occu- 
jiants  vociferously  affirmed  that  all  the  men 
who  belonged  there  were  in  Vicksburg  and  had 
not  been  near  home  for  six  months,  a  belt  con- 
taining a  sword  and  revolver  was  found  under 
a  bed.  That  was  as  good  evidence  as  we 
wanted  that  the  man  avIio  owned  the  belt  was 
not  far  awaj^,  and  after  a  short  search  he  was 
discovered  in  the  cellar.  No  doubt  there  were 
better  hiding-places  about  the  house,  but  the 
blue-jackets  came  up  so  suddenly  that  he  did 
not  have  time  to  go  to  them.  A  little  further 
search  resulted  in  the  finding  of  some  impor- 
tant dispatches  which  the  Confederate  had 
concealed  in  a  barrel  of  corned  beef  ;  but  when 
its  contents  were  poked  over  by  a  bayonet,  the 
dispatches  betrayed  themselves  by  rising  to 
the  surface.  So  you  see  it  was  sometimes  nec- 
essary to  search  private  houses  ;  but  like  Mr. 
Watkins,  the  gunboat  officer  who  took  Marcy 
Gray  from  his  bed   to  serve  as  pilot  in  the 


MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  341 

Union  navy,  Captain  Burrows  wislied  that 
some  other  officer  had  been  detailed  to  do  the 
work.  Although  he  went  from  Beardsley's 
house  straight  to  Mrs.  Gray's,  he  had  no  in- 
tention of  searching  it.  He  knew  more  of 
Marcy  than  Tom  and  Mark  thought,  and  per- 
haps he  could  have  told  them  a  few  things  con- 
cerning themselves  that  would  have  made  them 
opentheir  eyes.  He  had  halted  and  questioned 
every  negro  he  met  on  his  scout,  and  he  knew 
the  name  of  every  Union  man  and  every  rebel 
in  the  settlement.  When  he  arrived  at  the 
house  he  did  not  lead  his  men  into  the  yard, 
nor  did  he  ride  in  himself.  He  dismounted 
and  went  in  on  foot,  and  Marcy,  who  had  seen 
him  coming,  opened  the  door  without  giving 
him  time  to  knock. 

"I  know  you  are  Marcy  Gray,  from  the  de- 
scriptions I  have  heard  of  you,"  was  the  way 
in  which  the  captain  began  his  business.  "  I 
am  told  that  you  have  any  number  of  danger- 
ous weapons  as  well  as  a  Confederate  flag  in 
your  possession." 

"I  plead  guilty,"  replied  Marcy.  "Will 
you  walk  in  ? " 


342  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

He  was  not  at  all  afraid  of  tlie  officer,  for  the 
latter  smiled  at  liim  in  a  way  that  put  him 
quite  at  his  ease.  Besides,  if  the  captain  knew 
anything  about  him,  as  his  words  seemed  to  in- 
dicate, he  must  be  aware  that  he  had  willingly 
served  under  the  Union  flag,  and  under  the 
other  one  because  he  could  not  help  himself. 
Marcy  led  him  into  the  room  in  which  his 
mother  was  waiting,  and  the  captain  straight- 
way quieted  her  fears,  if  she  had  any,  by  say- 
ing : 

"I  am  on  a  scout,  madam,  looking  for  rebel 
soldiers  and  fire-arms  that  maybe  concealed  in 
the  settlement ;  but,  so  far  as  you  are  concerned, 
my  visit  is  merely  a  matter  of  form." 

"  Take  this  chair,"  said  Marcy,  "  and  I  will 
be  back  in  a  moment." 

The  Confederate  flag  had  been  removed  from 
its  place  on  the  wall,  but  the  boy  knew  where 
to  find  it ;  and  when  he  brought  it  into  the 
room  he  brought  with  it  his  fine  rifle  and  shot- 
gun, his  revolvers,  a  bed-quilt  and  the  letter 
that  Captain  Benton  had  given  him  ;  and 
Julius,  who  followed  at  his  heels,  brought  as 
many  more  guns,  vi^hich  belonged  to  the  absent 


MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  343 

Jack.  He  was  gone  but  a  few  minutes,  but 
quite  long  enough  to  enable  Mrs.  Gray  to  give 
the  visitor  some  scrai^s  of  his  history  ;  and  as 
her  story  was  confirmed  by  those  he  had  heard 
from  the  negroes  along  his  line  of  march,  he 
was  so  well  satisfied  of  Marcy's  loyalty  that 
when  the  latter  came  in  and  deposited  his 
burdens  on  the  table,  the  officer  had  not  the 
least  intention  of  taking  any  of  them  away 
with  him.  He  spread  the  Confederate  flag 
uj3on  the  floor  so  that  he  could  see  it ;  exam- 
ined the  guns  one  after  another,  and  inquired 
about  the  shooting  on  the  plantation  ;  and 
held  Captain  Benton's  letter  up  to  the  light,  to 
see  if  he  could  read  what  was  written  upon  it. 

"There's  a  fire  on  the  hearth,  sir,"  Marcy 
reminded  him. 

"I  know  there  is  ;  but  if  I  should  bring  out 
the  words  by  holding  this  pajDer  to  the  heat, 
and  it  should  some  day  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  rebels,  it  might  make  serious  trouble  for 
you,"  said  the  captain.  "If  such  a  thing 
happens  I  don't  want  to  be  the  means  of  it, 
for  I  know  that  you  were  of  service  to  our 
fleet  durino;  the  fio-ht  at  Roanoke  Island." 


344  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"I  was  there,  sir,"  answered  the  boy 
modestly.  "  And  if  you  say  so,  I  will  rip  up 
this  quilt  and  show  you  the  Union  flag  that 
waved  over  my  head  while  I  was  acting  as 
Captain  Benton's  pilot." 

"A  Union  flag  in  this  house,  alongside  of  a 
Confederate!"  exclaimed  the  captain,  who 
was  surprised  to  hear  it.  "I  should  think 
you  would  be  afraid  to  have  it  about  you.  I 
understand  that  the  most  of  the  people  in  this 
neighborhood  are  the  worst  of  rebels." 

Marcy  replied  that  although  there  were  some 
Union  people  in  the  settlement  the  Confed- 
erates outnumbered  them  two  to  one,  but  lie 
did  not  believe  that  any  of  the  latter  knew 
there  was  a  Union  banner  in  the  house.  Then 
he  went  on  to  explain  how  and  when  it  came 
into  his  possession,  and  again  ofi'ered  to  pro- 
duce it ;  but  Captain  Burrows  said  he  would 
not  put  him  to  so  much  trouble.  He  asked  a 
few  leading  questions  which  he  knew  Marcy 
could  not  answer  unless  he  had  really  "been 
there,"  after  which  he  took  his  cap  from  the 
table,  saying  as  he  did  so  : 

"  If  you  will  take  a  friend's  advice,  you  will 


MARCY    SEES   SOMEBODY.  345 

conceal  those  guns,  as  well  as  any  other  ar- 
ticles of  value  you  may  have,  somewhere  out- 
side, and  keep  Captain  Benton's  letter  where 
you  can  put  your  hand  on  it  at  any  hour  of 
the  day  or  night.  It  is  probable  that  some  of 
our  scouts  will  be  along  here  every  few  days, 
and  I  am  afraid  there  will  be  some  among 
them  who  will  insist  on  going  through  your 
house.  Besides,  the  Home  Guards  may  need 
those  guns  to  arm  some  of  their  men." 

"Home  Guards?"  echoed  Marcy.  "What 
are  they  ? ' ' 

"  Well,  they  are  men  who,  although  they 
haven't  the  courage  to  enlist  in  the  army  to 
fight  us,  are  perfectly  willing  to  act  as  police 
in  the  rear  of  the  Confederate  army.  It  is 
their  intention  to  patrol  the  settlement,  night 
and  day,  until  they  drive  out  every  man  who  is 
suspected  of  Union  sentiments." 

Marcy  looked  bewildered,  and  his  mother 
was  frightened. 

"Is  it  possible  that  you  haven't  heard  of 
it  ?  "  continued  the  captain.  "  Then  it  proves 
the  truth  of  the  old  saying  that  one  needs  to 
go  away  from  home  to  learn  the  news.     We 


346  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

know  all  about  it,  and  we  also  know  that  these 
Home  Guards  intend  to  operate  as  they  do  in 
Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  Missouri ;  that  is, 
they  will  be  industrious  and  peaceful  fanners 
during  the  daytime,  and  thieves  and  murderers 
at  night.  But  mind  you,  as  fast  as  we  can  locate 
them,  we  shall  run  them  in  and  hold  them  as 
prisoners  of  war.  I  hope  that  you,  and  the 
rest  of  the  Union  people  about  here,  will  be 
watchful  and  keep  us  posted." 

''This  is  news  to  me,"  said  Marcy,  as  soon 
as  his  surprise  would  alloAv  him  to  speak.  ^'  I 
never  dreamed  of  such  a  thing." 

"  Then  I  am  very  glad  I  mentioned  it,"  said 
the  officer. 

"  And  I  am  certain  I  can  give  you  the  name 
of  every  man  in  the  company,"  added  Marcy. 
"  What  do  you  suppose  j)ut  the  idea  into  tlie'r 
heads?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  do  not  know,  unless  it  was  that 
fight  in  Hampton  Roads,  which  created  the 
wildest  excitement  all  over  the  country.  The 
Richmond  people  were  very  jubilant,  while 
our  Washington  folks  were  correspondingly 
depressed." 


JCARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  347 

"That  is  another  piece  of  news,"  said  Mrs. 
Gray.  "To  what  particular  battle  do  you 
refer,  Captain? " 

"Don't  you  know  anything  about  that, 
either  ?"  exclaimed  the  officer,  throwing  open 
his  coat,  and  thrusting  his  hand  into  an  inside 
pocket.  "  It  was  a  fight  between  our  fleet  and 
six  Confederate  steamers — five  wooden  vessels 
and  one  iron-clad.  It  lasted  the  better  part  of 
two  days.  At  the  end  of  the  first  day  the  ad- 
vantage was  all  with  the  Confederates,  who 
captured  and  burned  one  of  our  best  ships  and 
sunk  another,  without  any  serious  damage  to 
themselves.  These  papers,  which  I  shall  be 
glad  to  leave  with  you,  tell  all  about  it,  and 
they  will  also  give  you  a  faint  idea  of  the  con- 
sternation that  seized  upon  everybody  up 
North,  when  the  story  got  abroad  that  the 
rebels  had  one  single  vessel  that  could  cope 
with  Uncle  Sam's  entire  navy.  Every  city 
along  the  coast,  as  well  as  the  capital,  was  sup- 
posed to  be  at  the  mercy  of  that  one  iron-clad  ; 
T:)iit  when  she  came  out,  on  the  morning  of  the 
9th,  to  complete  her  work  of  destruction,  she 
ran  against  a  snag,  in  the  shape  of  a  little 


348  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

Union  iron -clad,  not  more  than  half  her  size, 
which  had  come  upon  the  scene  during  the 
night." 

"And  did  those  two  iron-clads  fight?" 
exclaimed  Marcy,  who  was  worked  up  to 
the  highest  pitch  of  excitement.  "  Which 
whipped  ?" 

"Of  course  they  fought,  for  that  was  what 
our  vessel,  the  Monitor,  went  down  there  for. 
She  came  in  the  night  and  anchored  behind  the 
hull  of  one  of  our  big  ships,  so  that  the  rebel 
boat  did  not  see  her  until  she  was  close  upon 
her.  They  had  the  hardest  kind  of  a  fight,  and 
our  vessel  whipped." 

Marcy  did  not  break  out  into  cheers  as  the 
captain  no  doubt  thought  he  would,  but  settled 
contentedly  back  in  his  chair  and  drew  a  long 
breath  of  relief. 

"Our  fellows  did  not  sink  the  Virginia  as 
they  tried  to  do,"  continued  Captain  Burrows, 
"but  they  gave  her  such  a  pounding  that  it 
was  all  she  could  do  to  draw  out  of  the  fight  and 
go  back  to  Norfolk.  We  had  the  best  of  the 
engagement,  for  the  rebel  boat  failed  to  accom- 
plish the  object  she  had  in  view  when  she  came 


MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  349 

out,  which  was  to  sink  the  three  frigates  that 
were  aground  off  Fortress  Monroe." 

"And  you  think  it  was  during  the  excite- 
ment consequent  upon  the  first  day's  victory 
that  our  neighbors  were  led  to  organize  tlie 
Home  Guards  ?"  said  Mrs.  Gray. 

"  I  certainly  think  it  had  much  to  do  with 
It,"  answered  Captain  Burrows.  "You  see 
these  '  stay-at-homers,'  as  I  have  heard  them 
called,  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
Yankees  were  whipped,  and  when  the  Avar  is 
over  they  want  to  be  able  to  say  that  they 
helped  do  it." 

"  Pardon  my  curiosity,"  said  Marcy.  "  But 
have  you  seen  Ben  Hawkins  ?  " 

"I  don't  think  there  will  be  any  harm  in 
telling  you  that  I  had  a  sliort  talk  with  him 
before  I  came  here.  I  met  him  on  the  road, 
and  he  volunteered  so  much  information  con- 
cerning his  neighbors  that  I  became  suspicious 
of  him.  But  I  have  since  learned  that  he  told 
me  nothing  but  the  truth.  He  is  a  paroled 
X:)risoner  and,  I  may  add,  a  warm  friend  to  you 
and  your  mother." 

"And  you  do  not  think  it  would  be  unwise 


350  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

to  trust  him?"  said  Mrs.  Gray,  who  had  list- 
ened with  surprise  to  her  son's  account  of  the 
speech  he  had  heard  Hawkins  deliver  in  the 
post-office. 

"No,  I  do  not.  He  is  very  bitter  against 
the  Confederacy,  as  many  of  his  comrades  are  ; 
he  has  had  enough  of  soldiering,  and  if  I  were 
in  your  place  I  think  I  should  look  upon  him 
as  a  friend." 

"  I  thank  you  for  saying  so  much,"  replied 
Marcy.  "I  am  sure  we  need  friends  bad 
enough." 

"And  don't  forget,"  said  the  captain  as  he 
rose  to  go,  "  that  we  are  not  here  for  fun.  I 
shall  report  you  to  my  commander  as  a  staunch 
Union  family,  and  if  your  rebel  neighbors 
prove  troublesome  and  you  will  let  us  know, 
we  will  surely  punish  them  for  it.  I  wish  you 
good-day." 

"Now  there's  a  friend  worth  having,"  said 
Marcy,  when  he  and  his  mother  were  once 
more  alone.  "He  brought  us  bad  news, 
though.  He  did  not  want  to  say  too  much 
against  his  comrades,  but  he  said  enough,  and 
I  think  we  had  better  hide  your  silver  and  jew- 


MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  351 

elry  before  some  rascal  in  blue  walks  off  with 
them." 

"  No  doubt  it  would  be  a  wise  thing  to  do," 
replied  Mrs.  Gray.  "He  said  he  hea7'd  that 
there  were  arms  and  a  flag  in  the  house  ;  have 
you  any  idea  who  told  him  ? " 

"Beardsley  is  the  chap,"  answered  Marcy 
readily.  "  Two  or  three  times  I  was  on  the 
point  of  asking  what  the  captain  said  to  him, 
but  I  was  afraid  he  might  not  answer  me. 
Beardsley  can't  get  me  into  trouble  with  the 
Yankees,  and  he  might  as  well  give  wp  trying. 
Now  let's  read  about  the  fight  in  Hampton 
Roads." 

"  What  about  the  Home  Guards  1 "  said  his 
mother. 

"  I  will  take  a  ride  presently  and  see  if  I  can 
learn  something  about  them.  They  must  have 
been  very  sly  in  getting  up  their  company,  for 
I  don't  believe  our  darkies  knew  the  first  thing 
about  it.  If  they  did  they  would  have  told 
us.  I  wonder  if  it  wouldn't  be  a  good  plan  for 
me  to  join  it." 

"Why,  Marcy,  they  would  not  accept  you ! " 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Gray. 


352  MARCY,    TPIE   REFUGEE. 

"  That's  what  I  think  ;  but  if  they  refuse  it 
will  show  me  that  I  had  better  be  on  my  guard, 
won't  it?" 

"I  am  glad  to  know  that  Hawkins  is  our 
friend." 

"  When  I  met  him  in  Nashville,  and  he  took 
the  trouble  to  cross  the  road  and  shake  hands 
with  me  and  say  that  I  did  just  right  while  I 
was  on  Captain  Benton's  gunboat,  I  knew 
right  where  he  stood,"  answered  Marcy.  "I 
can  see  him  as  often  as  I  have  anything  to  say 
to  him,  for  he  is  loafing  about  the  settlement 
all  the  time." 

While  Marcy  talked  he  was  looking  through 
one  of  the  papers  Captain  Burrows  had  left 
behind  for  the  account  of  that  famous  fight  in 
Hampton  Roads,  and  when  he  found  it  he  read 
it  aloud.  The  result  of  the  first  day's  struggle 
must  have  been  alarming  as  well  as  discourag- 
ing to  the  loyal  people  in  the  North,  and  the 
gloomy  predictions  that  were  made  in  the 
papers  concerning  the  terrible  things  the  Vir- 
ginia was  going  to  do  when  she  finished  the 
Union  fleet  «it  Fortress  Monroe,  were  enough  to 
make  Marcy  feel  gloomy  himself.     But  the 


MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  353 

account  of  the  next  fight  was  most  inspiriting. 
The  little  Monitor  proved  to  be  more  than  a 
match  for  her  ponderous  antagonist.  Wash- 
ington would  not  be  bombarded,  the  blockad- 
ing fleet,  which  the  Virginia  was  to  sink  or 
capture  at  her  leisure,  was  still  on  top  of  the 
water  and  likely  to  stay  there,  and  the  recog- 
nition of  the  Southern  Confederacy  by  France 
and  England  was  as  far  off  as  ever. 

"There's  one  thing  I  like  about  N^orthern 
papers,"  said  Marcy,  when  he  had  read  every 
line  he  could  find  that  in  any  way  related  to 
the  matter  that  was  just  then  uppermost  in  his 
mind.  "  They  always  tell  the  truth.  If  their 
people  are  whipped  they  don' t  hesitate  to  say 
so,  but  ours  gloss  it  over  and  try  to  make  it 
appear  that  every  fight  is  a  Confederate  vic- 
tory. According  to  our  Newbern  i^apers  the 
South  hasn't  lost  a  single  place  that  she 
couldn't  spare  as  well  as  not.  Donelson  and 
Fort  Henry  were  outposts  that  we  did  not  in- 
tend to  hold  anyway,  and  Roanoke  Island 
was  of  so  little  consequence  that  the  Rich- 
mond authorities '  did  not  garrison  it  as 
heavily  as  they  would  if    they  had  wanted 

23 


354  MAECY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

to  keep  it.  It's  the  worst  kind  of  bosli, 
and  everybody  in  the  South  knows  it. 
Now  then,"  he  added,  addressing  himself  to 
Jiilins,  wlio,  since  lie  followed  his  master  into 
the  room,  had  stood  in  one  corner  hearing  and 
seeing  all  that  was  said  and  done, "put  these 
guns  and  things  where  they  belong,  and  stand 
by  to-night  after  dark  to  help  me  hide  them 
in  the  garden.  You  heard  what  that  Federal 
officer  said  about  the  Home  Guards,  didn't 
you  ?    Well,  what  do  you  know  of  them  ?  " 

"ISTot  de  fustest  think,  Marse  Mahcy,"  an- 
swered the  boy  earnestly.  "  Dey  gettin'  to 
be  mighty  jubus  of  de  niggahs  round  hyar,  an' 
nobody  nebber  say  nuffin  wliar  Julius  kin 
ketch  it." 

"  Keep  your  eyes  and  ears  open,  and  if  you 
do  catch  on  to  anything  come  straight  to  me 
with  it ;  do  you  understand  ?  Now  I  am  going 
to  ride  out  for  a  while." 

"Do  you  intend  to  say  anything  about  our 
visitors  ?  "  inquired  his  mother. 

"If  I  meet  anyone  who  knows  they  were 
here  I  don't  see  how  I  can  avoid  speaking  of 
them,"   was  Marey's  reply.      "But    circum- 


MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  355 

stances  will  have  to  determine  what  I  shall  say 
about  them.  I  don't  mean  to  let  every  Tom, 
Dick,  and  Harry  know  how  very  friendly  that 
captain  was  with  ns.  I  don't  think  it  would 
be  Just  the  thing.     Good-by." 

"  Look  a  hyar,  Marse  Mahcy,"  began  Julius  ; 
and  then  he  hesitated  for  as  much  as  a  minute 
before  he  went  on  to  say,  "  You  know  dat 
niggah  Mose?" 

"Yes,  I  know  Mose,"  answered  Marcy,  and 
he  might  have  added  that  he  knew  him  to  be 
the  laziest  and  most  worthless  black  man  on 
the  plantation.     "  What  of  him  ? " 

"  Well,  sar,  moster,"  replied  the  boy,  "  when 
I  fotcli  in  dem  guns  an'  luf  'em  on  de  table  I 
slip  out  de  do'  kase  I  aint  Avantin'  to  see  no 
horns  an'  hoofs  like  Marse  Jack  say  de  Yan- 
kees done  got,  an'  I  see  Mose  talkin'  wid  dem 
soldiers  in  de  road.  Den  he  slip  thoo  'em  into 
de  bresh  on  de  odder  side  de  road  an'  never 
come  out  no  mo'  ;  an'  den  I  come  hyar  to  tol' 
you." 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  that  Mose  has  run 
away?" cried  Marcy  and  his  mother  in  con- 
cert. 


356  MAKCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"Yes,  sar,  missus  ;  dat's  what  I  mean,"  re- 
plied Julius. 

Marcy  was  much,  surprised  to  hear  it,  but 
after  all  it  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  he 
had  predicted  when  the  war  first  broke  out. 
The  negroes  knew  to  a  man  that  the  contest 
between  the  North  and  South  would  decide 
whether  they  were  to  be  bondsmen  or  free,  and 
itw^as  natural  that  their  sympathies  should  be 
on  the  side  of  those  who  did  not  believe  in 
slavery,  and  that  they  should  desire  to  be  with 
them. 

"  You  are  quite  sure  that  the  Yankee  sol- 
diers did  not  take  Mose  away,  are  you?"  said 
Marcy,  after  a  little  pause. 

Yes,  Julius  was  positive  about  that.  When 
the  Federal  captain  left  the  house  Julius  had 
hastened  to  the  front  porch  in  order  to  satisfy 
himself  on  that  very  point,  and  had  taken 
pains  to  see  that  Mose  was  not  with  the  sol- 
diers when  they  rode  away.  Mose  had  gone 
on  his  own  hook. 

"I  am  afraid  he  will  repent  when  it  is  too 
late,"  said  Mrs.  Gray,  with  a  sigh  of  regret. 
"  Mose  is  too  old,  and  too  badly  crippled  with 


MARCY   SEES   SOMEBODY,  357 

rheumatism,  to  be  of  any  use  to  his  new 
friends." 

"I  suppose  you  and  Morris  will  be  going 
next,"  said  Marcy,  nodding  at  Julius,  "and 
that,  if  I  want  my  filly  brought  to  the  door,  I 
can  bring  her  myself." 

"Oh,  hursh,  honey,"  replied  the  boy.  "I 
aint  a-keerin  what  dat  old  niggah  Morris 
gwine  do,  but  Julius   aint  gwine  run  away." 

"  I  think  you  are  better  off  here  than  you 
would  be  anywhere  else.  The  Yankees  be- 
lieve that  those  who  don't  work  can't  eat,  and 
that  would  let  you  out  so  far  as  grub  is  con- 
cerned. You  never  did  a  hand's  turn  in  your 
life.  Now  go  and  tell  Morris  to  saddle  my 
horse,  and  then  come  back,  and  put  away  these 
guns  as  I  told  you." 

When  Julius  left  the  room  Marcy  put  on  his 
hat,  and  went  out  to  ask  if  any  of  the  other 
house  servants  knew  that  old  Mose  had  run 
away,  and  was  not  much  surprised  to  find  that 
they  all  knew  of  it  and  had  been  expecting  it, 
for  Mose  had  given  them  due  notice  of  what  he 
intended  to  do.  He  had  often  been  heard  to 
say  that  if  the  Yankee  soldiers  ever  came  to 


358  MAKCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

tile  plantation  lie  would  go  away  with  tliem, 
and  lie  had  kept  his  word.  Some  planters  in 
the  neighborhood  would  have  said,  "  Good  rid- 
dance to  bad  rubbish,"  for  of  late  years  Mose 
had  not  done  work  enough  to  pay  for  the  corn 
meal  and  bacon  he  ate,  let  alone  the  clothes  he 
wore  ;  but  Marcy  felt  sorry  for  him,  and  pre- 
dicted that  Mose  would  repent  of  his  bargain 
in  less  than  a  month. 

"  Marse  Mahcy,  will  the  Yankees  luf  him 
comeback  if  he  wants  to?"  inquired  Morris. 

"I  reckon  not,"  was  the  boy's  answer.  "  The 
Federal  general,  Butler,  has  declared  slaves  to 
be  contraband  of  war,  and  I  don't  think  they 
will  give  Mose  up  any  more  than  they  would 
surrender  a  mule  they  had  captured.  Now, 
what  do  j'^ou  black  ones  know  about  the  Home 
Guards?" 

The  expression  of  bewilderment  that  came 
upon  the  ebony  faces  by  which  he  was  sur- 
rounded prepared  Marcy  for  the  reply.  The 
servants,  one  and  all,  declared  that  they  did 
not  know  what  he  meant ;  and  this  made  it 
plain  that  the  rebels  in  the  settlement  were  be- 
ginning to  learn  that  their  black  people  could 


MAECY   SEES   SOMEBODY.  359 

not  be  trusted  to  keep  their  secrets.  He  Vv'ent 
into  the  house  to  tell  his  mother  what  he  had 
learned,  and  finding  his  filly  at  the  door  when 
he  came  back,  he  mounted  and  rode  away. 

The  first  white  man  he  saw  Avas  one  who 
could  have  told  him  all  about  the  Home  Guards 
if  he  had  been  so  disposed.  It  was  Captain 
Beardsley,  who  was  still  in  the  field  with  his 
negroes,  Tom  Allison  and  Mark  Goodwin  hav- 
ing left  him  a  few  minutes  before  Marcy  came 
up.  The  man  did  not  stop  his  work  and  come 
to  the  fence,  nor  did  he  look  up  as  Marcy  rode 
by  ;  and  this  made  the  latter  believe  that  his 
old  caijtain  had  some  reason  for  wishing  to 
avoid  him. 

"  He  is  going  to  spring  something  else  on  me, 
and  before  long,  too,"  was  what  Marcy  said 
to  himself  as  he  passed  on  down  the  road. 
"  When  Beardsley  won't  talk  he  is  dangerous." 

That  he  had  shot  close  to  the  mark  was  made 
evident  to  Marcy  before  ten  minutes  more  had 
passed  over  his  head.  A  short  distance  farther 
on  was  the  gate  which  gave  entrance  to  the 
carriage-way  that  ran  by  the  ruins  of  Beards- 
ley's  home.     It  was  wide  open,  and  as  he  rode 


3G0  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

np  he  saw  a  horseman  passing  through  it. 
Marcy  had  a  fair  view  of  him,  and  recognized 
him  at  once  as  the  man  Hanson,  his  mother's 
old  overseer  ;  and  he  was  riding  one  of  Beards- 
ley's  horses. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A   FRIEND   IN  GRAY. 

MARCY  GRAY  had  seldom  thouglit  of 
his  mother  s  overseer  since  he  learned 
that  he  had  been  spirited  away  by  armed  and 
masked  men,  and,  when  he  did,  it  was  to  in- 
dulge in  the  hoi)e  that  he  w^ould  never  see  or 
hear  of  him  again.  He  did  not  believe  that 
Hanson  would  dare  disregard  the  warning  of 
the  Union  men,  who  had  "turned  him  loose, 
with  orders  never  to  show  his  face  in  the  settle- 
ment again;"  but  here  he  was,  riding  along 
the  public  road  in  broad  daylight,  without 
making  the  least  effort  at  concealment,  and,  to 
make  the  situation  more  alarming,  he  Avas 
riding  one  of  Captain  Beardsley's  horses. 
Acting  upon  the  first  thought  that  came  into 
his  mind,  Marcy  urged  his  filly  forward,  in- 
tending to  speak  to  the  man,  and  Hanson, 
nothing  loath,  turned  his  horse  about  to  wait 
for  him. 

361 


362  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"I'm  on  hands  agin,  like  a  bad  piece  of 
money,"  he  said,  with  a  laugh, 

"  So  I  see,"  answered  Marcy.  "And  I  must 
say  that  I  little  expected  to  meet  you." 

Hanson's  response,  and  the  way  in  which  he 
acted,  disheartened  Marcy  Gray,  for  they  gave 
him  a  clew  to  the  course  this  enemy  of  his 
mother's  had  marked  out  for  himself.  The 
first  thing  he  did  was  to  ride  up  and  offer 
Marcy  his  hand,  and  the  boy  took  it,  because 
he  did  not  think  it  would  be  policy  to  refuse. 
He  wanted  to  find  out  what  the  man's  plans 
were,  and  he  could  not  do  that  by  making  him 
angry  the  first  thing  he  did.  Then  Hanson 
went  on  to  say  : 

"But  I'm  back  agin,  all  the  same,  and  safe 
and  sound,  too.  I  hope  you  didn't  think  I 
would  let  them  few  Yankees  scare  me  away 
from  my  home  altogether  ?  I  belong  on  your 
plantation,  and  there's  right  where  I  am  going 
before  lam  many  hours  older." 

This  was  an  astounding  and  terrifying  state- 
ment, and  it  was  a  minute  or  two  before  Marcy 
could  collect  his  wits  sufficiently  to  reply  to  it. 

"  We  never  expected  you  to  come  back,  and 


A   FRIEND  IN  GRAY.  363 

SO  I  took  your  place,"  said  he  at  length.  "I 
am  my  mother's  overseer  now." 

"You!"  exclaimed  Hanson,  with  a  laugh. 
"  What  do  you  know  about  farming  and  driv- 
ing niggers  ?  'Taint  gentleman's  work,  that 
aint,  and  you  aint  by  no  means  suited  to  it. 
I'll  take  it  off  your  hands  now.  'Cording  to 
my  contract,  I  can't  leave  till  next  month, 
any  way,  and,  besides,  I've  lost  right  smart  of 
time.  I  didn't  leave  the  plantation  of  my  own 
free  will ;  but  that  don't  make  no  difference." 

"We  owe  you  a  little  money,  and  mother 
will  give  it  to  you  any  day  you  call  for  it ;  but 
we  don't  ask  you  to  make  up  any  lost  time," 
said  Marcy,  who  coukln't  bear  the  thought  of 
having  this  sneaking  Hanson  on  the  plantation 
again. 

"I  know  what  my  duty  is,"  replied  the 
overseer  very  decidedly,  "and  I  mean  to  do 
it.  I  bargained  with  your  mother  for  so  much 
a  year.  I  want  every  cent  of  that  money,  for 
I  can't  afford  to  do  without  it ;  but  I  shan't  ask 
for  it  till  I  have  done  twelve  good  solid  months 
of  work." 

Marcy  felt  like  yelling,  and  it  was  only  by  a 


364  MAECY,    THE  EEFUGEE. 

great  effort  of  will  tliat  he  controlled  himself. 
He  knew  pretty  nearly  what  was  before  him 
now.  He  believed  that  Beardsley  had  kept 
track  of  Hanson  ;  that  he  knew  where  he  had 
been  all  the  while,  and  that  he  had  bronght 
him  back  to  fill  out  his  unexpired  term  as 
overseer,  because  he  had  failed  to  induce  Marcy 
and  his  mother  to  employ  Kelsey  in  his  place. 
Hanson  would  make  it  his  business  to  get  on 
the  track  of  that  money.  He  would  not  suc- 
ceed, of  coarse  ;  but  Mrs.  Gray  would  not  see 
a  moment's  peace  during  her  waking  hours,  or 
enjoy  a  moment's  refreshing  sleep  at  night,  as 
long  as  Hanson  remained  on  the  place.  Oh, 
why  was  not  Aleck  Webster  on  hand  to  tell 
him  what  to  do  in  a  case  like  this  ? 

"I  knowed  your  maw  would  be  looking  for 
me  to  come  back  and  finish  out  my  time,"  con- 
tinued Hanson,  "but  I  was  most  afraid  to  come 
till  I  heard  that  the  coast  was  clear,  and  I 
wouldn'  t  be  in  no  danger  of  being  pestered  by 
them  Union  men." 

"There  are  some  of  them  about  here  yet," 
said  Marcy. 

"Not  many,  there  aint,"  replied  the  over- 


A   FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  365 

seer,  who  seemed  to  understand  the  situation 
perfectly.  "  The  wust  of  them  have  went  into 
the  Yankee  navy  ;  and  them  that's  left  aint 
men  to  be  afraid  of.  Besides,  I've  got  a  body 
guard  that  won't  put  up  with  no  nonsense 
from  them  or  any  other  Union  men.  You 
know  all  about  the  Home  Guards  ?  " 

"I  heard  of  them  for  the  first  time  this 
morning,"  said  Marcy  truthfully.  "But 
then  I  have  not  been  around  much  since  I 
came  home." 

The  last  words  slipped  out  before  Marcy 
knew  it ;  but  Hanson  seemed  to  take  them 
as  a  matter  of  course,  for  he  said  in  re- 
ply: 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  blame  you  for  keeping 
clost  to  home  for  a  few  days.  You  couldn't 
do  no  other  way  than  you  did  do,  but  there's 
some  onreasonable  folks  about  who  stick  to  it 
that  you  had  oughter  run  that  there  gunboat 
on  the  ground.  That's  what  Beardsley 
allowed  to  do,  but  they  didn't  give  him  the 
chance.  I  wouldn't  like  to  be  one  who  had 
anything  to  do  with  the  burning  of  Beardsley' s 
house.     He's  an  officer  in  the  Home  Guards,  a 


366  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

leftenant  or  something,  and  he  allows  to  hunt 
them  men  down  the  first  thing  he  does." 

"Probably  he  knows  where  to  look  for 
them,"  said  Marcy. 

"  If  he  don't  he  can  guess  pretty  clost  to  the 
place,"  answered  Hanson,  "But  you're  all 
right.  Nobody  in  this  settlement  is  going  to 
let  harm  come  to  you." 

"When  did  you  return,  and  how  does  it 
come  that  you  are  riding  the  captain's 
horse?" 

"  Oh,  him  and  me  has  always  been  friends, 
and  when  he  got  Miss  Brown  to  write  to  me  in 
Newbern  that  it  was  safe  for  me  to  come  back 
and  work  my  year  out  on  your  plantation,  and 
that  he  knew  you  and  your  maAv  was  looking 
for  me  to  do  it,  as  any  honest  man  should,  I 
come  right  to  his  house.  I've  been  here  three 
days,  looking  round  and  keeping  sorter  clost 
in  doors,  and  allow  to  go  up  to  your  place  this 
afternoon." 

So  it  seemed  that  there  was  no  help  for  it,  at 
least  for  the  present.  The  man  had  told  him 
some  things  he  was  glad  to  know,  and  talked 
as  though  he  believed  Marcy  to  be  as  good  a 


A  FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  367 

rebel  as  he  was  himself.  Perhaps  he  would 
be  willing  to  go  further  and  tell  him  how  he, 
Marcy,  stood  in  the  estimation  of  the  Home 
Guards. 

"I  suppose  the  object  of  that  organization 
is  to  make  Union  men  behave  themselves,"  he 
said,  at  a  venture. 

"You're  mighty  right,"  answered  Hanson. 
"Likewise  to  see  that  all  the  prisoners  about 
here,  who  was  paroled  at  the  Island,  go  back 
to  the  army  where  they  belong.  Some  of  'em 
have  been  talking  agin  the  'Federacy  in  a  way 
we  uns  don't  like  to  hear,  and  we're  going  to 
put  a  stop  to  all  sich  work  as  that." 

"No  one  asked  me  to  join,  and  that  is  the 
reason  I  knew  nothing  about  it,"  continued 
Marcy.  "When  you  see  Beardsley,  will  you 
tell  him  that  I  want  to  come  in  ?  " 

If  he  expected  the  man  to  hesitate  or  raise 
objections  he  was  disappointed,  for  Hanson 
answered  readily  : 

"I'll  do  it.  You'll  get  in  easy  enough,  and 
I  know  Beardsley  will  be  glad  to  have  you. 
Some  of  our  men  aint  got  a  thing  in  the  way 
of  guns,  and  I  know  you  wouldn't  mind  lend- 


368  MAKCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

ing  some  of  yours  that  you  don't  need.  Well, 
I  must  be  piking  along.  I'll  be  up  this  after- 
noon, tell  your  maw." 

"And  it  will  be  the  worst  news  she  ever 
heard,"  thought  Marcy,  as  the  two  sejiarated 
and  rode  away  in  different  directions.  "  What 
he  is  up  to  now  I  can't  imagine  ;  but  he  has 
strong  backing,  I  know  from  the  way  he 
talks.  Mother  has  always  been  afraid  that 
he  would  come  back  to  trouble  her,  and  here 
he  is.  And  here  am  I  without  a  friend  to  ad- 
vise or  assist  me.  I  was  almost  sure  that  some- 
thing like  this  would  happen  when  Aleck 
Webster  and  his  friends  deserted  me." 

But  if  Aleck  was  gone  there  was  at  least  one 
man  in  the  neighborhood  who  was  able  and 
willing  to  take  his  place,  and  that  was  Ben 
Hawkins,  the  paroled  prisoner,  whom  he  en- 
countered before  he  left  Beardsley's  gate  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  behind.  The  man  was  sit- 
ting on  his  horse  in  the  middle  of  the  road, 
and  the  first  words  he  spoke  seemed  to  indicate 
that  he  was  waiting  for  Marcy. 

"Who  was  that  onery  looking  chap  I  met 


A   FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  369 

along  here  a  spell  ago  riding  Beardsley's  old 
clay-bank?"  said  Hawkins.  "I  seen  you 
talking  to  him  up  there." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Hawkins,"  exclaimed  Marcy,  who 
had  suddenly  resolved  to  put  a  certain  matter 
to  the  test  then  and  there.  "You  saw  and 
talked  with  a  Federal  scouting  party  that  came 
through  here  this  morning,  and  the  officer  in 
command  told  me  that  you  are  a  good  friend 
of  mine.     Is  that  so  or  not  ?  " 

"What  do  you  want  me  to  do  to  prove  it? " 
asked  the  rebel  in  reply. 

"Ob,  a  hundred  things,"  answered  Marcy. 
"  But  in  the  first  place,  do  you  know  anything 
about  the  Home  Guards?" 

"  Being  one  of  'em  I  oughter  know  all  about 
'em,"  was  the  reply.  "  But  not  being  pizen 
enough  agin  the  Unionists  to  suit  'em,  I  have 
sorter  got  it  into  my  head  that  they  are  keep- 
ing some  things  from  me.  All  the  same,  I 
know  enough  to  be  sartin  sure  that  they  mean 
harm  to  you." 

"  That  is  what  I  thought ;  and  I  am  certain 
of  it  too,  now  that  this  Hanson  has  returned. 


370  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

He  used  to  be  my  mother's  overseer,  and  is  the 
man  who  was  taken  from  his  house  and  carried 
into  the  swamp." 

"  So  that's  the  chap,  is  it  ? "  exclaimed  Haw- 
kins. "I  didn't  know  him,  for  your  mother 
hired  him  after  I  'listed  ;  but  I've  heard  as 
much  as  I  want  to  know  about  him.  Of  course 
he  is  going  back  on  the  place  to  stay  his  time 
out?" 

"That  is  what  he  says  ;  but  the  worst  of  it 
is  that  he  wants  to  make  up  the  time  he  lost 
by  being  carried  away.  Now,  is  there  any  way 
in  wliich  I  can  stop  that  ?  " 

"  You  can  shoot  him,  I  reckon.  That's  what 
I'd  do  for  any  man  who  kept  shoving  himself 
on  me  when  he  wasn't  wanted,  like  this  feller 
is  shoving  himself  on  you  and  your  maw," 

Marcy  made  no  reply,  for  nothing  he  could 
then  think  of  would  have  induced  him  to  carry 
things  as  far  as  that.  Hawkins  understood 
this,  and  after  thinking  a  moment  he  added  : 

"  You  can  give  his  name  to  the  fust  Yankee 
officer  you  meet  scouting  around  out  here,  or 
you  can  leave  a  note  on  Beardsley's  gallery  and 
Shelby's,  telling  them  that,  if  they  don't  get 


A   FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  371 

him  off  your  place  in  a  little  less  than  no  time, 
some  more  of  their  buildings  will  go  up  in 
smoke.  Where's  the  schooner  that  Beardsley 
used  to  run  the  blockade  in  ?  He'd  ruther  lose 
half  his  niggers  than  lose  her." 

"  I  know  what  you  mean,  but  the  trouble  is 
I  can't  prove  anything  on  him.  I  can't  bear 
the  thought  of  destroying  his  property  just 
because  I  think  he  is  persecuting  me." 

"If  you  should  blame  everything  that  has 
happened  to  you  on  him  you  Avould  not  be 
fur  wrong,"  said  Hawkins  earnestly.  "He's 
mighty  savage  agin  you  for  not  trying  to 
make  that  gunboat  cajj'n  quit  putting  him  in 
irons " 

"How  in  the  name  of  common  sense  could  I 
stop  it?"  cried  Marcy.  "I  didn't  volunteer 
to  go  on  that  boat  (I  blame  Jonas  for  that), 
and  would  Captain  Benton  have  paid  any  at- 
tention to  me  if  I  had  interceded  for  Beards- 
ley  ?  I  might  have  brought  myself  into 
difficulty  by  it." 

"Course,"  replied  Hawkins.  "A  blind 
man  could  see  that,  but  all  the  same  Beardsley 
means   to   even   up   with   you  'cause  he   was 


372  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

ironed  and  you  wasn't.  He  is  first  lef tenant 
of  the  Home  Guards,  Colonel  Shelby  being  the 
captain,  and  he's  going  to  take  you  out'n  your 
bed  some  night  and  send  you  to  Williams- 
ton." 

"  What  for  ?  "  exclaimed  Marcy. 

"And  put  you  in  jail  there,"  continued 
Hawkins.  "  The  lock-up  is  jammed  full  of 
Union  men  already,  but  they'll  find  room  for 
one  more.  And  mind  you,  after  you  onct  get 
in  you'll  not  come  out  till  you  promise  to  'list 
in  the  Confederate  army.  That's  the  way 
they  are  doing  now  to  put  j)atriotism  into 
people  who  aint  got  any." 

"  Do  you  know  when  the  Home  Guards  in- 
tend to  come  to  our  house  ?  " 

"No,  I  don't.  I  wisht  I  did,  so't  I  could  tell 
you  when  to  be  on  the  watch  for  'era  ;  but 
that's  one  of  the  things  they  aint  told  me, 
and  the  only  way  I  can  think  of  for  you  to 
beat  'em  is  to  be  on  your  guard  night  and 
day,  beginning  now." 

AVhile  this  conversation  was  going  on  Marcy 
and  his  companion  had  been  riding  slowly  in 
the  direction  of  Nashville.     Just  before  they 


A  FRIEND  IN   GRAY.  373 

came  within  sight  of  the  town  they  met  a  man 
dressed  in  a  ragged  uniform,  and  riding  a  mule 
that  looked  as  though  it  had  served  through 
two  or  three  hard  campaigns.  Marcy  recog- 
nized him  as  a  poor  white  of  the  Kelsey 
stamp,  and  Hawkins  told  him  in  a  whisper 
that  he  was  a  paroled  prisoner  like  himself,  a 
friend  of  his,  a  member  of  his  company  and 
mess,  and  also  a  Home  Guard  whom  the 
officers  were  not  afraid  to  trust.  If  Marcy 
would  ride  on  and  leave  him  alone  with  the 
man,  he  might  be  able  to  obtain  some  informa- 
tion from  him.  Marcy  was  glad  to  agree  to  this 
programme,  and  it  was  duly  carried  out.  He 
went  ahead  and  waited  half  an  hour  in  Nash- 
ville, and  might  have  remained  a  still  longer 
time  had  he  not  seen  Hawkins  ride  a  short 
distance  down  the  road  from  the  first  turn, 
and  then  wheel  his  horse  and  ride  back  again 
out  of  sight.  Taking  this  for  a  signal,  Marcy 
mounted  his  filly  and  set  out  for  home  ;  and, 
as  he  expected,  found  Hawkins  in  the  lonely 
j)lace  in  the  road  where  he  had  held  two  inter- 
views with  Aleck  Webster.  He  thought  the 
man  looked  very  sober,  but  before  he  could 


374  MAKCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

speak    of    it    Hawkins    said,    in    a    thrilling 
whisper : 

"Mister  Marcy,  yon  aint  safe  in  this  here 
settlement  one  hour  longer.  I  dunno  but  you 
had  oughter  be  out  of  it  now^" 

"What  did  that  friend  of  yours  tell  you  ?" 
asked  the  boy,  with  a  desperate  effort  to 
appear  calm,  although  he  knew  that  his  face 
was  as  white  as  it  could  be. 

"  He  said  the  Home  Guards  have  got  things 
fixed  jest  as  they  want  'em,  and  that  they  are 
liable  to  begin  operations  any  time,"  answered 
Hawkins,  who  looked  as  uneasy  as  Marcy  felt. 
"  Beardsley  won't  hear  to  nothing  but  that 
you  must  be  got  rid  of  the  very  fust  thing. 
You  know  too  much  to  be  let  loose  any 
longer.'' 

"  I  know  that  Beardsley  was  a  smuggler, 
and  believe  I  could  have  made  trouble  for  him 
by  saying  that  much  to  Captain  Benton  ;  but  I 
did  not  do  it,"  replied  Marcy.  "  I  hadn't  the 
heart  to  do  it,  and  neither  did  I  think  he 
would  dare  do  anything  to  me  so  long  as  the 
Yankees  are  so  thick  about  here." 


A   FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  375 

"There's  where  you  made  the  biggest  kind 
of  a  mistake,"  said  the  rebel,  in  a  tone  of  dis- 
gust. "  I  don't  see  why  you  were  so  easy  on 
him  when  you  know  that  he  is  doing  all  he 
can  to  pester  you.  My  advice  to  you  is  to 
leave  this  very  night." 

"But  where  shall  I  go?"  cried  Marcy. 
"  And  how  do  I  know  but  they  will  take  some 
sort  of  vengeance  on  my  mother  if  they  fail  to 
find  me  ?  " 

"  Beardsley  won't  do  the  first  thing  to  her, 
for  mean  as  the  Home  Guards  are,  there's  some 
among  'em,  and  one  of  'em  is  talking  to  you  at 
this  minute,  who  won't  by  no  means  stand  by 
and  see  him  go  as  far  as  that.  But  if  she 
should  see  them  snake  you  out'n  the  house 
and  tote  you  off  to  jail,  don't  you  reckon  that 
would  worry  her?  Your  best  plan  is  to  light 
out  while  you  can." 

"But  you  have  not  yet  told  me  where  to 
go,"  Marcy  reminded  him. 

"Put  straight  to  the  swamp  and  find  those 
Union  men,"  replied  the  rebel.  "There's 
some  of  'em  there  now." 


376  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"But  I  don't  know  where  to  find  them. 
The  swamps  along  the  coast  cover  a  good  deal 
of  ground " 

"I  know  where  to  find  'em,"  interrupted 
Hawkins.  "Now,  I'll  tell  you  what  to  do: 
you  go  straight  home,  pack  uj)  any  little 
things  you  want  to  take  with  you  for  comfort, 
and  when  night  comes  get  into  one  of  your 
boats  and  put  straight  down  the  bayou  for 
Middle  River.  Look  oat  fur  yourself,  fur  it's 
likely  that  the  Yankees  have  posted  sentries 
all  along  the  river,  and  if  they  chuck  you  into 
the  guard-house,  there's  no  telling  when  they 
will  turn  you  loose.  It  might  put  you  to  some 
trouble  to  prove  that  you  aint  a  Confederate 
spy.  And  when  you  get  into  Middle  River 
t'other  side  of  Plymouth,  you  will  find  a  friend 
on  the  bank  who  will  tell  you  what  to  do." 

"  Who  will  he  be  ?  What  shall  I  call  him  ? " 
asked  Marcy. 

"  He  will  be  old  man  Webster,  the  father  of 
that  sailor  who  promised  to  stand  by  you 
through  thick  and  thin,  and  then  went  off  and 
'listed.  He's  home  now,  and  as  soon  as  I  leave 
you,  I'll  ride  straight  down  to  his  house  and 


A    FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  377 

tell  him  what  sort  of  'rangement  me  and  you 
have  come  to.  Oh,  I  am  all  right  with  the 
Union  men,  even  if  I  do  wear  a  gray  jacket ; 
and  if  they  aint  afraid  to  trust  me  you  needn'  t 
be." 

"I  am  not  afraid  to  trust  you,"  Marcy 
hastened  to  say.  "But  I  don't  like  to  leave 
mother.     It  looks  cowardly." 

' '  You  want  her  to  have  some  peace  of  mind, 
don't  you  ?  "  demanded  Hawkins,  almost 
angrily.  "Well,  she'll  see  a  heap  more  of  it 
if  you  will  do  as  I  tell  you  and  clear  yourself, 
than  she  will  if  you  stay  to  home.  As  long  as 
I  am  foot-loose,  I'll  make  it  my  business  to  go 
to  your  house  as  often  as  any  of  the  Home 
Guards  go  there,  and  the  first  one  who  don't 
do  jest  right  will  have  to  answer  to  me  fur  it." 

"I  thank  you  for  the  assurance,"  began 
Marcy. 

"  I  aint  got  no  time  to  hear  you  talk  that  a 
way,"  exclaimed  the  rebel.  "What  I  want  to 
know  is  whether  you  are  going  to  foller  my 
advice  or  not." 

Marcy  said  very  emphatically  that  he  was. 

"  'Cause,  if  you  don't,  you  are  liable  to  be 


378  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

started  on  tlie  road  to  jail  before  this  time  to- 
morrer,'''  added  Hawliins. 

"I'll  do  just  as  you  have  told  me,  and 
there's  my  hand  on  it,"  replied  Marcy. 
"  You  will  be  sure  to  arrange  matters  so  that 
Mr.  Webster  will  meet  me  on  the  river?  " 

The  soldier  assured  him  that  he  could  be 
depended  on  to  do  as  he  had  agreed,  and  after 
another  lingering  hand-shake  they  separated, 
Hawkins  to  carry  out  his  part  of  the  pro- 
gramme, and  Marcy  to  take  a  budget  of  most 
unwelcome  news  to  his  mother.  But  she  bore 
up  under  it  better  than  he  did.  She  declared 
that  her  heart  would  be  much  lighter  if  she 
knew  her  son  was  in  full  i^ossession  of  his 
liberty,  even  though  he  was  compelled  to  hide 
in  the  swamp  for  the  tifiie  being,  than  it  would 
be  if  she  were  called  upon  to  remember,  every 
hour  in  the  day,  that  he  was  shut  up  in  jail, 
with  a  fair  prospect  before  him  of  being  forced 
into  the  Confederate  army,  and  she  urged  him 
to  carry  out  Hawkins's  instructions  to  the  very 
letter.  And  in  order  to  show  him  that  she 
meant  he  should  do  that  very  thing,  she  began 
at  once  to  pack  his  valise.     When  she  left  the 


A   FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  379 

room  for  a  few  minutes,  Marcy,  having  become 
satisfied  that  Hawkins's  plan  was  the  best,  and 
in  fact  the  only  one  that  could  be  followed 
under  the  circumstances,  seated  himself  at  the 
desk,  pulled  out  a  sheet  of  foolscap  paper, 'and 
began  writing  a  short  note  upon  it.  While 
thus  engaged  his  face  wore  a  most  determined 
expression,  and  when  the  note  was  finished  he 
put  it  into  his  pocket.  But  he  said  nothing  to 
his  mother  about  it. 

The  hours  were  a  long  time  in  dragging 
themselves  away,  but  Marcy  and  his  mother 
had  many  small  details  to  arrange  and  many 
tilings  to  talk  about,  and  only  once  was  he 
out  of  her  presence.  That  was  when  he  made 
a  trip  to  the  creek,  in  company  with  Julius,  to 
select  the  boat  that  Avas  to  take  him  down  the 
river.  He  raised  the  black  boy  very  high  in 
his  own  estimation  by  making  a  confidant  of 
him  and  promising  to  take  him  along  as  his 
servant,  and  in  order  to  provide  against  the 
upsetting  of  his  plan  by  some  awkward  blun- 
der on  the  part  of  Julius,  he  told  him  just 
what  he  was  going  to  do  when  darkness  came 
to  conceal  his  movements,   and  how  he  in- 


380  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

tended  to  do  it.  It  was  well  for  liim  that  he 
went  to  so  much  trouble,  as  we  shall  presently 
see. 

When  the  afternoon  was  about  half  spent 
Hanson  and  his  trunk  made  their  apx)earance 
in  one  of  Beardsley's  wagons,  and  Mrs.  Gray 
and  Marcy  listened  to  his  story  in  the 
kitchen — the  only  room  about  the  house  to 
which  the  man  had  ever  been  admitted.  And 
the  kitchen  wasn't  in  the  house,  but  a  short 
distance  away  from  it,  and  under  its  own  roof. 
The  overseer  made  his  statement  to  Mrs.  Gray 
in  much  the  same  words  that  he  had  made  it 
to  Marcy  ;  and  when  the  lady  made  a  mistake 
by  saying  that,  after  the  experience  he  had 
already  had  with  the  Union  men,  she  should 
think  he  would  be  afraid  to  return  to  that 
plantation,  the  man  answered  in  tones  so  inso- 
lent and  savage  that  Marcy  felt  inclined  to 
resent  them  on  the  spot. 

"Them  villains  toted  me  off  onct,  Miss 
Gray,  but  they  Avon't  never  do  it  again.  I 
know  who  they  were,  I've  got  friends  enough 
around  me  to  hang  every  one  of  'em,  and  I'm 


A   FRIEND   IN   GRAY.  381 

going  to  do  it  before  I  ever  leave  this  place. 
You  hear  me?" 

Those  were  the  words  he  used,  but  his 
manner  seemed  to  say  :  "I  am  on  this  planta- 
tion with  the  intention  of  remaining.  I  came 
for  a  purpose,  and  you  dare  not  turn  me  off." 
Marcy  understood  that  to  be  his  meaning, 
and  made  up  his  mind  that  he  and  Hanson 
would  have  a  settlement  in  a  very  few  days. 
Mrs.  Gray  understood  him,  but  she  did  not 
give  expression  to  tlie  fears  that  came  upon 
her,  for  she  knew  that  by  so  doing  she  would 
dishearten  her  son  who,  just  then,  needed  all 
the  encouragement  she  could  give  him. 

It  began  to  grow  dark  about  supper  time, 
and  Julius  came  slouching  into  the  sitting- 
room  as  if  he  had  no  particular  business  there, 
but  in  reality  to  listen  to  the  instructions  that 
Marcy  had  iDromised  to  have  ready  for  him  at 
that  time. 

' '  You  will  find  the  guns  and  things  that  you 
are  to  hide  on  the  floor  of  my  room,"  said  the 
boy.  "  My  revolvers,  fowling-piece,  and  a  good 
supply  of  ammunition  are  on  my  bed  ;  but  you 


382  MARCY,    THE  REI'UGEE. 

must  not  touch  them.  They  are  to  go  with  us 
to  the  swamp.  Be  as  sly  as  you  can,  for,  if  the 
Home  Gruards  catch  you  at  tlie  work,  they  will 
give  you  something  you  never  had  yet — a 
striped  shirt." 

During  the  next  hour  Julius  was  in  and  out 
of  the  house  several  times,  and  on  each  occa- 
sion he  took  something  away  with  him  ;  while 
Marcy  and  his  mother  sat  side  by  side  on  the 
sofa  trying,  as  Marcy  put  it,  "  to  do  talking 
enough  to  last  them  during  the  separation  that 
was  soon  to  come."  At  last  Julius  moved 
silently  along  the  hall  and  appeared  at  the 
door  of  the  sitting-room  with  a  heavy  valise  in 
his  hand,  and  a  bundle  of  quilts  and  blankets 
thrown  over  his  shoulder. 

"Dis  all,"  he  whispered,  in  his  short,  jerky 
way,  "an'  you  best  be  gettin'  out'n  dar. 
Good-by,  missus.  Julius  gwine  run  now.  like 
ole  Mose." 

"You  haven't  seen  or  heard  anything  sus- 
picious, have  you?" 

"  Oh,  hursh,  honey,"  was  the  reply.  "If 
Julius  hear  sumfin,  don't  you  reckon  he  got 
sense  'nough  to  tell  ?      You  best  be  gettin' 


A  FRIEND  IN   GRAY.  383 

out'n  dar  'fore  dey  come.  Good-by,  mis- 
sus." 

"Go  ahead  with  those  things,  and  I  will  be 
at  the  boat  by  the  time  you  are,"  said  Marcy. 

Julius  disappeared,  but  it  was  not  so  easy 
for  his  master  to  follow  him  as  it  was  to  talk 
about  it.  He  found  it  hard  to  tear  himself 
away,  and  lingered  long  over  the  parting — so 
long,  in  fact,  that  Julius  grew  tired  of  waiting 
for  him.  He  placed  the  valise  and  blankets  in 
the  bow  of  the  boat,  made  sure  for  the  twen- 
tieth time  that  the  little  craft  was  ready  for 
the  start,  and  then  sauntered  back  to  the  house 
to  see  why  Marcy  did  not  come.  But  he  did 
not  find  the  coast  clear  this  time.  Just  as  he 
was  passing  through  the  gate  he  heard  a  slight 
rustling  in  the  bushes  that  lined  the  carriage- 
way on  both  sides.  Without  waiting  a  second 
to  see  what  made  the  noise,  the  quick-witted 
darky  took  to  his  heels  ;  but,  before  he  had 
made  half  a  dozen  steps,  a  man  stepped  into 
the  carriage-way  in  front  of  him  and  seized 
him  by  the  arm.  Julius  looked  up,  and  saw 
that  he  was  in  the  grasp  of  Captain  Beards- 
ley. 


384  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

"None  of  that,  you  little  varmint,"  said  the 
captain.     "  You  stay  here  with  me." 

As  he  spoke  he  tightened  his  grasp  and  be- 
gan dragging  his  prisoner  toward  the  conceal- 
ment from  which  he  had  just  emerged  ;  where- 
upon the  black  boy  set  up  a  yell  that  could 
have  been  heard  half  a  mile  away.  And  what 
was  more,  he  kept  on  yelling  until  Beardsley 
clapped  his  big  hand  over  his  mouth,  and  put  a 
stop  to  the  performance. 


CHAPTER  Xyil. 

MARCY   TAKES   TO   THE   SWAMP, 

THE  little  darky  was  not  very  badly  fright- 
ened on  liis  own  account — lie  never  got 
that  way  unless  he  saw  or  heard  something  he 
could  not  understand — but  he  was  overwhelmed 
with  anxiety  for  Marcy  Gray,  who  had  not  yet 
left  the  presence  of  his  mother,  Julius  be- 
lieved that  the  dwelling  had  been  surrounded 
by  the  Home  Guards  while  he  was  stowing  the 
valise  and  blankets  in  the  boat,  and  if  that 
proved  to  be  the  case,  Marcy  would  in  all 
probability  start  for  Williamston  jail  instead 
of  the  swamp.  The  black  boy  thought  of 
these  things  in  an  instant  of  time,  and  did 
what  he  could  to  upset  the  plans  of  the  Home 
Guards  by  yelling  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

"Keep  still,  you  little fule,"  said  Beardsley, 
in  an  angry  whisper,  "  Nobody's  going  to  hurt 
you." 

25    ,  335 


386  MAECY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

"  Aint,  liey  ?"  exclaimed  a  second  man,  who 
at  that  moment  came  uj^on  the  scene.  "  I'll 
hurt  him  to-morrow,  I  betj^ou  ;  I'll  have  him 
brnng  into  the  field  ;  and  he  has  heard  me 
talk  often  enough  to  know  what  them  words 
mean." 

Just  then  Julius  succeeded  in  freeing  him- 
self from  Beardsley's  grasp,  and  it  was  well 
for  him  that  he  did  so,  for  the  man  had  almost 
smothered  him  by  holding  his  nose  between 
his  thumb  and  fore-finger  at  the  same  time 
that  he  covered  his  mouth  with  the  rest  of  his 
liand.  The  negro  gasped  once  or  twice,  and 
then  sank  to  the  ground  like  a  piece  of  wet 
rope. 

"All  right.  Let  him  lay  there  till  he  gets 
ready  to  get  up,"  said  Captain  Beardsley. 
"  Where's  the  men  ?     Where's  Shelby  !  " 

"  The  men  started  on  a  run  for  /the  house 
the  minute  that  black  villain  yelled,"  replied 
Hanson ;  for  he  was  the  one  Avho  came  to 
Beardsley's  assistance.  "  Shelby  is  round  on 
the  other  side  watching  the  back  door,  and  he 
sent  me  to  see  what  the  f  ursing  was  about. 
Now  I'll  go  back  and  tell  him." 


MAKCY   TAKES   TO   THE   SWAMP.  387 

"  And  be  sure  that  you  and  him  keep  out  of 
sight  when  Marcy  is  brought  out,"  cautioned 
Beardsley.  "You  don't  want  to  let  him  get  a 
sight  at  ary  one  of  you,  for  there's  no  telling 
when  he  will  have  the  iDower  on  his  own  side." 

The  overseer  hastened  awa}^,  trusting  more 
to  the  darkness  than  to  the  bushes  in  the  yard 
to  conceal  him  from  Mrs.  Gray's  view  and 
Marcy' s,  should  either  of  them  chance  to  look 
out  at  the  window,  and  the  captain  moved  a 
few  steps  nearer  to  the  carriage-way,  so  that  he 
could  look  at  "the  house  through  the  branches 
of  an  evergreen.  When  he  first  peeped  out 
the  front  windows  were  all  dark  ;  but  pres- 
ently lights  began  to  appear  here  and  there, 
heavy  steps  and  loud  angry  voices  were  heard 
in  the  house,  and  finally  the  front  door  opened, 
and  a  man,  carrying  a  lighted  lamp  in  his  hand, 
came  out  and  walked  the  wdiole  length  of  it. 
Captain  Beardsley  was  surjDrised,  and  he  felt 
uncomfortable,  too.  If  the  boy  of  whom  they 
were  in  search  was  in  the  house  he  ought  to 
have  been  discovered  before  this  time  ;  and  if 
he  had  escape'd,  Avhere  could  he  have  gone  un- 
less it  was  to  Plymouth  or  to  the  Union  men 


388  MARCY,    THE   llEFUGEE. 

who  were  liidden  in  the  swamp  ?  If  he  had 
gone  to  either  place  Captain  Beardsley  knew  it 
meant  the  loss  of  more  buildings  to  him  and 
Colonel  Shelby. 

"  And  if  he's  went  off  it  is  bekase  some  trai- 
tor or  'nother  in  our  company  told  him  he'd 
better,"  soliloquized  Beardsley,  when  he  saw 
the  lights  shining  from  the  windows  of  the 
upper  rooms.  "Julius,  come  here.  I  want  to 
ask  you  something." 

The  black  boy  had  by  this  time  recovered  his 
breath  and  strength  enough  to  sit  up.  He  had 
all  his  wits  about  him,  and  was  as  much  in- 
terested in  what  Avas  going  on  in  the  house 
as  Captain  Beardsley  himself.  He  saw  the 
lights  ascend  from  the  lower  rooms  to  those 
in  the  second  story,  and  finally  he  saw  them  in 
the  garret  and  in  the  observatory  on  the  roof  ; 
and  when  no  shout  of  trkimph,  or  any  sound 
to  indicate  that  there  was  a  disturbance  in 
the  house,  came  to  his  ears  to  tell  him  that 
his  master  had  been  traced  to  his  hiding-place 
and  captured,  the  wild  hope  seized  upon  him 
that  Marcy,  in  some  mysterious  manner,  had 
succeeded  in  eluding  the   Home  Guards.      If 


MARCY   TAKES   TO   THE   SWAMP.  389 

that  was  the  case  he  would  of  course  make 
the  best  of  his  way  to  the  boat ;  and  if  he 
got  there  before  Julius  did  he  would  shove 
off  alone,  and  Julius  would  be  left  behind  to 
labor  under  the  lash  of  the  overseer.  He 
thought  he  would  rather  die  than  do  that, 
but  how  could  he  escape  from  Beardsley  and 
reach  the  creek  in  time  to  meet  Marcy  there  ? 
When  he  heard  the  captain  calling  to  him 
he  got  upon  his  feet  and  ax)proaclied  the  car- 
riage-way, just  as  Beardsley  bent  his  head 
almost  to  the  ground,  to  watch  a  light  that 
was  shining  from  one  of  the  cellar  windows. 
He  held  that  position  for  a  moment,  and  then 
a  roar  like  that  of  a  thousand  Niagaras  rang 
in  his  ears  and  all  was  blank  to  him.  He 
sank  limp  and  motionless  to  the  ground, 
while  Julius  took  to  his  heels  and  disapj^eared 
through  the  gate.  Half  an  hour  later,  Avlien 
the  Home  Guards  came  out  of  the  house  with- 
out finding  Marcy  Gray  or  anything  that  could 
be  used  as  evidence  against  him,  they  were  as- 
tounded and  greatly  alarmed  to  find  Caj^tain 
Beardsley  lying  unconscious  in  the  carriage- 
way. 


390  MAECY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

And  where  was  Marcy  all  tliis  time*  When 
the  black  boy's  first  note  of  warning  fell  upon 
his  ear  he  was  imprinting  a  farewell  kiss  upon 
his  mother's  W^ts  and  giving  her  a  last  embrace  ; 
but  they  fell  apart  instantly  when  they  heard 
that  wild  cry,  for  they  knew  what  it  meant. 

"There  they  are!"  gasped  Mrs.  Gray. 
"  Marcy,  I  am  afraid  I  have  detained  you  too 
long." 

"You  have  not  kept  me  a  moment,"  said 
Marcy  quickly,  "for  I  was  no  more  anxious 
to  go  than  you  w^ere  to  have  me.  Keep  them 
in  the  house  as  long  as  you  can,  and  I  will  go 
into  the  cellar  and  try  to  slip  through  one  of 
the  windows  into  the  garden.  Poor  Julius 
will  be  broken-hearted  when  he  finds  that  I 
went  without  him.  Once  more  good-by,  and 
don't  expect  to  see  me  under  a  week." 

Pressing  as  the  need  for  haste  was,  Marcy 
snatched  another  farewell  kiss  and  ran  out  of  • 
the  room,  taking  care  not  to  pass  between  a 
window  and  a  lamp  that  stood  on  the  centre- 
table.  He  caught  his  cap  from  the  rack  as  he 
hurried  through  the  hall,  and  in  less  time  than 
it  takes  to  tell  it,  was  standing  before  an  open 


Julius  gives  the  Alarm. 


MARCY   TAKES   TO   THE  SWAMP.  891 

cellar  window,  waiting  and  listening.  His  ears 
told  him  when  the  Home  Guards  charged  upon 
the  house  and  entered  it  through  the  back  and 
side  doors,  and  believing  that  the  sentries,  if 
there  had  been  any  posted  outside,  would  be 
wholly  engrossed  with  what  was  going  on  in 
the  dwelling,  he  seized  upon  that  i)articular 
moment  to  make  his  attempt  at  escape.  Slowly 
and  carefully  he  crawled  up  into  the  window, 
and  when  he  raised  his  head  above  the  ground 
all  lie  could  see  were  bushes  and  trees  and  a 
starlit  sky,  and  all  he  could  hear  was  the  mur- 
mur of  voices  in  the  sitting-room.  If  the  doors 
were  guarded,  as  it  was  reasonable  to  suppose 
they  were,  this  particular  cellar  window  was 
not,  and  Marcy  made  haste  to  crawl  out  of  it 
and  across  an  intervening  flower-bed  to  the 
friendly  shelter  of  a  thicket  of  bushes  beyond. 
He  did  not  linger  there  an  instant,  but  taking 
it  for  granted  that  Ben  Hawkins  was  with  the 
Home  Guards,  and  remembering  that  the  man 
had  promised  to  see  that  they  behaved  them- 
selves while  they  were  in  his  mother's  house, 
he  started  at  once  for  the  creek,  crawling  on 
his  hands  and  knees  until  he  was  sure  he  had 


392  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

passed  beyond  the  sentries  that  he  thought 
ought  to  have  been  left  in  the  yard,  and  then 
he  sprang  np  and  ran  like  a  deer.  He  hardly 
knew  when  he  reached  the  fence,  over  which  he 
went  as  easily  as  though  he  had  been  furnished 
with  wings,  but  he  knew  when  he  halted  on 
the  bank  of  the  creek  and  caught  Julius  in  the 
act  of  shoving  off  with  the  boat.  Thinking 
only  of  Captain  Beardsley  and  the  overseer  and 
his  whip,  the  frightened  black  boy  could  not 
be  prevailed  upon  to  stop  until  he  had  pushed 
the  boat  to  the  middle  of  the  stream,  where  he 
felt  comparatively  safe ;  and  then  he  looked 
over  his  shoulder  to  see  who  his  pursuer 
was. 

"Why,  honey!"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  got 
out  the  oars  and  backed  the  boat  toward  the 
place  where  Marcy  was  standing.  "Was  dat 
you?  What  you  doin'  hyar  ?  How  come  dey 
don't  cotch  you  in  de  house  ?" 

"Come  here  quick,  and  take  me  on  board," 
replied  Marcy  ;  and  he  continued,  as  he  stej^ped 
into  the  stern  of  the  boat  and  picked  uj^  the 
paddle  he  had  provided  for  a  steering  oar : 
"  What  do  you  mean  by  trying  to  desert  me 


MARCY   TAKES   TO   THE   SWAMP.  393 

in  tins  fashion ;  and  was  that  you  yelling  a 
while  ago  ?  ' ' 

"Yes  sar,  Marse  Mahcy,  it  was  Julins  done 
dat  yellin',  an'  I  done  it  kase  I  aint  want  Cap' n 
Beardsley  to  cotcli  you  in  de  house,"  answered 
the  boy,  as  he  laid  out  his  strength  on  the  oars, 
and  sent  the  boat  swiftly  away  from  the 
bank. 

"Are  you  sure  that  Beardsley  was  Avith 
those  men  ?"  asked  Marcy  earnestly.  "Think 
twice  before  you  speak,  or  you  may  be  the 
means  of  making  me  do  something  that  I  shall 
be  sorry  for  as  long  as  I  live." 

"Julius  don't  need  to  think  no  two  times 
'fore  he  answer  dat  question.  De  cap'n  was 
dar,  an'  so  was  de  oberseer.  I  know,  kase  de 
cap'n  squoze  my  arm  till  it  blacker'n  my  skin. 
An'  de  oberseer  'low  to  take  me  to  de  field  in 
de  mawnin'." 

"  If  Beardsley  had  you  by  the  arm  how  did 
you  manage  to  get  away  from  him?"  said 
Marcy,  who  had  good  reason  for  wishing  to  be 
sure  of  his  ground. 

"Well,  sar,  moster,  I  buck  him  ;  dat's  de 
way  I  got  loose  from  de  cap'n.     He  scrooch 


394  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

down  dis  a  way,  so  lie  kin  look  in  de  suller," 
said  Julius,  bending  forward  until  his  back 
was  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  gunwales  of  the 
boat,  "  an'  I  whack  him  beliine  de  ear,  an'  he 
drap  so  quick  he  don't  know  what  hit  him. 
Dat's  de  troof,  sure's  you  born." 
*  Marcy  did  not  doubt  it,  for  if  Beardsley  had 
been  foolish  enough  to  place  himself  in  that 
I)Osition  while  Julius  was  within  reach  of  him, 
the  black  boy  could  have  knocked  him  sense- 
less without  any  trouble  at  all.  He  was  the 
acknowledged  champion  "bucker"  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  had  been  known  to  do  such 
things.  The  most  pugnacious  among  the  little 
darkies  would  scream  out  in  terror,  and  seek 
safety  in  flight,  if  Julius  raised  one  foot  from 
the  ground  and  hopped  toward  him  on  the 
other  with  his  head  lowered  threateningly, 
and  there  was  not  one  among  them  with  ahead 
hard  enough  to  stand  against  him  for  a  mo- 
ment if  Julius  succeeded  in  catching  him  by 
the  ears.  He  could  double  up  the  strongest 
negro  on  the  plantation  by  butting  him  in  the 
pit  of  the  stomach,  and  he  would  do  it  if  one 
of  them  incurred  his  displeasure,  even  though 


MAllCY   TAKES   TO  THE   SWAMP.  395 

lie  had  to  wait  a  month  to  find  his  opportu- 
nity. And  he  told  nothing  but  the  truth  when 
he  said  that  he  had  knocked  Captain  Beards- 
ley  down  in  that  way.  All  he  wanted  now  was 
a  chance  at  the  overseer.  He  knew  that  Mrs. 
Gray  and  Marcy  did  not  want  hira  on  the 
place,  and  consequently  Julius  did  not  think 
he  would  be  punished  for  butting  him  "  good 
fashion," 

"Did  Beardsley  or  Hanson  say  anything 
about  me  ?  "  was  Marcy' s  next  question. 

"  All  I  heard  de  cap'n  say  was  dat  de  ober- 
seer  an'  Shelby  want  to  watch  out  dat  you 
don't  see  'em  when  you  come  out'n  de  house," 
replied  Julius.  "  Dey  don  t  want  you  to  know 
dey  was  dar." 

Julius  gave  way  strong  on  the  oars  and 
Marcy  steered  the  boat,  listened  for  sounds  of 
pursuit,  and  thought  over  the  situation.  He 
made  up  his  mind  to  one  thing  before  he  had 
left  the  house  fairly  out  of  sight,  and  that  was 
that  Captain  Beardsley  and  Colonel  Shelby 
would  be  sorry  that  they  had  had  anything  to 
do  with  the  Home  Guards.  His  patience  was 
all    gone   now,    and   every   move    they  made 


396  MAECY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

slionld  be  met  by  a  counter-movement  on  his 
own  part.  He  tlionglit  lie  knew  the  name  of 
every  man  in  the  company,  and  he  would 
take  pains  to  see  that  the  Federal  com- 
mander at  Plymouth  knew  them  also  and 
where  they  lived  ;  and  while  he  was  wait- 
ing for  the  Yankees  to  do  something  he 
would  do  something  himself,  beginning  that 
very  night. 

Having  at  last  satisfied  himself  that  the 
Home  Guards  were  not  pursuing  him,  Marcy 
dismissed  them  from  his  mind  for  the  present, 
his  actions  indicating  that  he  Avas  looking  for 
some  object  he  expected  to  find  in  the  creek 
in  advance  of  him.  He  was  searching  for 
Beardsley's  schooner,  and  was  so  long  in  find- 
ing it  that  he  began  to  fear  her  owner  had 
stolen  a  march  upon  him  by  towing  her  from 
the  creek  to  a  safer  hiding-place.  But  the 
captain  evidently  thought  she  could  not  be  in 
any  safer  berth  than  the  one  she  had  always 
occupied  in  the  creek  in  front  of  his  house,  for 
there  was  where  Marcy  found  her,  as  he  was  on 
the  point  of  giving  up  the  search  and  telling 
Julius  to  pull  for  Middle  River  the  best  he 


MARCy   TAKES   TO   THE   SWAMP.  397 

knew  how,  for  tliere  was  a  man  waiting  for 
them  there. 

"  It  seems  a  pity  to  destroy  a  fine  vessel  like 
this,"  said  Marcy,  as  Julius  caught  the  fore 
chains  and  allowed  the  current  to  swing  the 
boat  broadside  to  the  Hattie. 

"Well,  den,  what  for  dat  rebel  burn  all  dem 
fine  shif)s  out  on  de  watali  like  Marse  Jack  tell 
about?"  demanded  Julius.  "An'  what  for 
de  cap'n  brung  all  dem  Home  G-yards  to  de 
house  to  cotch  you  an'  tote  you  off  to  jail  ?  " 

With  all  Beardsley's  i^ersecutions  so  fresh  in 
his  mind,  Marcy  Gray  did  not  stand  upon  the 
order  of  going  to  work  but  went  at  once.  Be- 
fore Julius  ceased  speaking  he  was  over  the 
schooner's  rail,  with  a  bag  of  "fat"  wood  in 
one  hand  and  an  axe  in  the  other.  The 
hatches  were  fastened  down  of  course,  and  the 
door  that  gave  entrance  to  the  cabin  was 
locked ;  but  the  latter  yielded  to  a  single 
heavy  blow  with  the  axe,  and  Marcy  went  in 
and  emi)tied  his  bag  of  kindling  wood  upon 
the  floor.  Then  he  piled  upon  it  everything 
he  found  in  the  cabin  that  he  could  move,  in- 
cluding the  slats  in  the  bunks,  the  tables  and 


398  MARCy,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

chairs,  and  the  doors  that  he  could  tear  from 
their  liinges.  Over  all  he  j^oured  a  couple  of 
quarts  of  oil  from  bottles  that  he  had  brought 
with  him  for  the  purpose,  and  set  fire  to  it  in 
three  or  four  different  places.  He  waited  until 
he  saw  the  work  of  destruction  fairly  begun, 
and  then  ran  on  deck  and  dropped  into  the 
boat. 

"  Now  set  me  ashore  at  the  foot  of  that  pop- 
lar to  which  the  breast-line  is  made  fast,"  said 
he.  "I  want  Beardsley  to  know  who  did  this 
work,  and  why  it  was  done.  But  of  course  he 
knows  without  any  telling." 

"  Hi  yi,  Marse  Malicy,  she  gwine  go  right  up 
in  de  elemunts  !  "  cried  Julius,  as  a  cloud  of 
smoke,  which  was  brightly  illumined  by  the 
fire  that  was  blazing  beneath,  came  pouring 
out  of  the  cabin-door. 

"I  think  I  made  a  sure  thing  of  it,"  an- 
swered Marcy.  "Of  course  she  will  burn 
readily,  for  everything  in  the  cabin  is  covered 
with  paint  or  varnish.  We  can't  get  away 
from  here  any  too  quick.     Hurry  up." 

It  did  not  take  Julius  more  than  two  min- 
utes to  row  around  the  stern  of  the  schooner 


MARCY   TAKES   TO  THE  SWAMP.  399 

to  the  tree  to  wliicli  the  breast-line  was  fast- 
ened, nor  did  it  take  Marcy  longer  than  that 
to  spring  ashore  and  x)lace  upon  a  neighboring 
tree,  in  a  conspicllo^^s  position  where  it  would 
be  sure  to  catch  the  eye  of  the  first  man  Avho 
passed  that  way,  the  note  which  he  had  writ- 
ten that  afternoon  while  his  mother  was  pack- 
ing his  valise.  It  was  addressed  to  Captain 
Beardsley,  and  ran  as  follows  : 

This  is  to  pay  you  for  the  share  you  had  in  bringing  Han- 
son back  to  our  plantation,  and  in  organizing  the  Home  Guards 
to  take  me  to  Williamston  Jail.  This  is  the  first  payment  on 
a  big  debt  I  owe  you  and  Colonel  Shelby.  If  you  do  not  ^Yisll 
any  more  like  it  take  Hanson  away  from  our  place  at  once  and 
keep  him  away  ;  and  furthermore,  keep  everybody  else  away 
from  there.  You  are  on  a  false  scent,  and  so  long  as  j'ou  fol- 
low it,  so  long  will  you  continue  to  lose  property.  There  is  no 
large  sum  of  money  in  or  around  the  house.  When  j*ou  be- 
come satisfied  of  that  fact  perhaps  you  will  cease  troubling  my 
mother. 

Placing  this  note  on  the  side  of  the  tree  oppo- 
site the  fire  so  that  it  would  not  be  scorched  by 
the  heat,  and  fastening  it  there  with  three  or 
four  wooden  pins  so  that  the  wind  would  not 
blow  it  away,  Marcy  ran  back  to  the  boat,  and 
Julius  once  more  pushed  out  into  the  stream. 
He  turned  to  look  behind  him  every  few  min- 


400  MARCY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

utes,  but  tlie  boat  was  pulled  into  Middle 
River,  and  j)erliai)S  two  or  three  miles  down  its 
swift  current  toward  the  coast,  before  he  saw 
any  signs  of  the  fire  he  had  left  behind  ;  and 
at  the  moment  his  eye  caught  its  first  faint  re- 
flection on  the  clouds,  he  heard  a  cautious  hail 
from  the  bank, 

"Boat  ahoy!"  came  through  the  darkness 
in  tones  that  were  just  loud  enough  to  attract 
his  attention, 

"Who  is  it?"  demanded  Marcy,  picking 
up  the  loaded  gun  that  lay  beside  him  in  the 
stern-sheets.     "  Way  enough,  Julius," 

"  Mebbe  dat  aint  de  man  you  want  see," 
replied  the  boy,  handling  the  oars  as  if  he 
meant  to  turn  the  boat  toward  the  opposite 
bank, 

"I  am  Aleck  Webster's  father,"  said  the 
voice,  in  answer  to  Marcy's  question.  "Ben 
Hawkins  sent  me  here  to  show  you  the  way  to 
our  camp," 

"When  did  you  see  Hawkins?"  inquired 
Marcy. 

"This  afternoon;  and  he  told  me  that  the 
Home  Guards  were  likely  to  drive  you  away 


MARCY    TAKES    TO   THE   SWAMP.  401 

from  home  to-niglit.  It's  all  right,  Mister 
Marcy." 

The  latter  was  so  sure  of  it  that  he  at  once 
turned  the  boat  toward  the  point  from  which 
the  voice  came  (the  night  was  so  dark  that  he 
could  not  see  anything  but  bushes  and  trees  on 
the  bank),  and  in  two  minutes  more  was  stand- 
ing by  Mr.  Webster's  side.  The  man  pointed 
toward  the  bright  spot  on  the  clouds  and  said, 
in  a  voice  that  Marcy  recognized  this  time  : 

"  Are  the  Home  Guards  out  to-night  ? " 

"Oh,  yes;  they're  out,  and  came  to  my 
mother's  house,  or  I  shouldn't  be  here  now. 
But  they  didn't  set  anything  on  fire  so  far  as 
I  know." 

"Then  whose  work  is  that?  There's  some- 
thing burning  off  that  way." 

"It  is  the  work  of  Marcy ^  the  Refugee. 
That's  I.  After  jjersecuting  me  for  months 
in  every  way  he  could  think  of,  Beardsley  has 
driven  me  from  home  at  last,  and  I  set  fire  to 
his  schooner  to  pay  him  for  it." 

"I  am  a  refugee  myself,"  replied  Mr. 
Webster.  "  And  there's  my  hand,  which  says 
that  I  will  stand  your  friend  as  long  as  you 
26 


402  MARCY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

need  one.  If  the  Home  Guards  liad  been  or- 
ganized a  few  weeks  sooner  Aleck  would  not 
have  left  us  old  men  and  boys  to  fight  our  bat- 
tles alone.  But  he  had  an  idea  that  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Yankees  on  the  coast  would  serve 
as  a  protection  to  us  ;  and  there's  where  he 
was  wrong.  If  we  don' t  do  something  at  once, 
they  will  follow  us  into  the  swamp  and  kill  or 
capture  the  last  one  of  us.  That  fight  in  Hamp- 
ton Roads  put  life  and  energy  into  them." 

"I  don't  see  why  it  should.  They  got  the 
worst  of  it.'' 

"Are  you  sure?"  exclaimed  Mr.  Webster. 
"  I  heard  that  we  got  tlie  worst  of  it ;  that  some 
of  our  best  ships  were  sunk  or  burned." 

"Will  it  be  quite  safe  for  us  to  stop  here 
long  enough  to  have  a  snack?"  said  Marcy. 
"  Then,  Julius,  you  may  hand  out  that  brown 
basket ;  the  one  with  the  napkin  spread  over 
the  top.  I'm  hungry,  and  I  suppose  you  are, 
Mr.  Webster,  for  you  have  walked  from  your 
home  since  Hawkins  saw  you  this  afternoon. 
By  the  way,  where  is  Hawkins  now  ?  " 

"He  will  hang  around  the  settlement  as 
long  as  he  can,  and  take  to  the  woods  only 


MARCY   TAKES   TO   THE   SWAMP.  403 

wlien  lie  sees  that  preparations  are  being  made 
to  compel  liim  to  go  back  to  the  army.  Didn't 
you  see  him  with  the  Home  Guards  to-night  ?  " 

Marcy  replied  that  he  did  not  see  anybody, 
for  he  ran  before  the  Home  Guards  came  into 
the  house.  If  Hawkins  was  with  them,  as  he 
had  promised  to  be,  Marcy  was  satisfied  that 
no  indignity  had  been  offered  to  his  mother. 

By  this  time  Julius  had  made  the  boat  fast 
to  a  tree  on  the  bank  and  come  ashore  Avith 
the  lunch  ;  and  while  Marcy  and  his  new  friend 
were  eating  the  cold  bread  and  meat  he  passed 
over  to  them,  the  former  gave  a  true  history  of 
that  battle  in  Hampton  Roads  as  he  learned  it 
from  the  papers  Captain  Burrows  left  Avitli 
him.  Then  he  gave  a  short  account  of  his  ex- 
perience and  dealings  with  Captain  Beardsley, 
so  that  the  man  might  know  just  how  much 
reason  he  had  to  stand  in  fear  of  him,  and 
finally  he  inquired  how  many  men  there  Avere 
in  Mr.  Webster's  partj^^,  and  where  and  how 
they  lived.  He  learned  that  there  was  an  even 
score  of  them  now,  seven  of  their  number  (one 
of  whom  was  Ben  Hawkins)  being  paroled 
prisoners,  who  declared  that  they  would  fight 


404  MAECY,    THE   KEFUGEE. 

rather  than  go  back  to  the  army.  It  had  been 
the  habit  of  the  original  members  of  the  band 
to  go  into  the  woods  whenever  they  desired  to 
talk  about  things  that  they  didn't  want  their 
rebel  neighbors  to  know  ;  but  ever  since  they 
heard  of  tlie  Home  Guards,  whose  avowed  ob- 
ject it  was  to  send  all  the  Union  men  they  could 
find  to  Williamston  Jail,  they  had  become 
refugees  in  earnest,  some  of  them  liaving 
taken  up  their  permanent  abode  in  the  camp. 
Those  who  had  families  to  look  out  for  now 
and  then  visited  their  homes  during  the  day- 
time ;  but  judging  by  the  way  things  looked 
now,  that  small  privilege  would  soon  be  denied 
them. 

"  And  when  it  comes  so  that  we  can't  see  our 
folks  for  fear  of  being  shot,  or  marched  off  to 
jail,  we'll  take  to  visiting  them  in  the  night- 
time," said  Mr.  Webster,  in  concluding  his 
story.  "  And  if  we  have  to  do  that,  we'll  light 
fires  to  show  us  the  way  back  to  camp." 

Having  disposed  of  a  good  share  of  the  con- 
tents of  the  brown  basket,  Mr.  Webster  de- 
clared that  it  was  time  for  them  to  start  for 
the  camp,  -which  was  located  in  one  of  Captain 
Beardsley's  wood  lots,  and  not  more  than  five 


MARCY  TAKES   TO   THE   SWAMP.  405 

miles  away.     He  said  that,  as  long  as  Captain 
Beardsley  continued  to  trouble  him  and  his 
friends,  they  would  sleep  on  his  grounds,  Avai-m 
themselves   and  cook  their    meals   over  fires 
built  with  w^ood  that  was  cut  from  his  trees, 
steal  his  corn  meal  and  bacon,  and  shoot  his 
hogs  as  often  as  they  came  within  range  of  the 
camp.     Air.  Webster's  canoe  was  close  by,  and 
when  he  stepped  into  it  he  fastened  the  painter 
of  Marcy's  boat  to  a  cleat  in  the  stern,  so  that 
the  two  little  crafts  would  not  become  separated 
in  the  darkness.     It  might  require  some  talk- 
ing to  bring  them  together  again,  and  they  did 
not  want  to  do  much  of  that  until  they  were 
safe  in  camp.     As   they  shoved  off  from  the 
bank  they  took  a  last  look  at  that  bright  spot 
on  the  clouds,  which  had  been  growing  brighter 
and  larger  every  moment  since  it  appeared, 
bearing  unmistakable    testimony  to  the    de- 
structive work  that  was  going  on  beneath  it. 
If  the  fire  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
Home  Guards  (and  Marcy  did  not  see  how  it 
could  be  otherwise),  they  did   not  reach  the 
creek  in  time  to  save  the  schooner.     Marcy 
wondered   what  Captain  Beardsley' s  feelings 
were  about  that  time. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

CONCLUSION. 

WHEN  Marcy  Gray  opened  his  eyes  the 
next  morning  at  daylight,  he  was  in 
the  camp  of  tlie  refugees,  which  was  to  be  his 
home,  at  irregular  intervals,  for  long  months 
to  come,  and  surrounded  by  men  avIio,  like 
himself,  were  being  persecuted  for  their  opin- 
ions' sake.  The  camp  was  located  on  an  island 
in  a  remote  corner  of  the  swamp  that  Marcy 
had  never  seen  before,  although  he  had  hunted 
through  the  country  for  miles  on  every  side  of 
his  mother's  plantation.  In  the  middle  of  the 
island  was  a  cleared  space,  perhaps  fifty  feet 
in  diameter,  and  all  the  bushes  and  trees  that 
had  been  cut  from  it  were  piled  around  the 
circumference,  to  serve  the  double  purpose  of 
wind-break  and  breastwork.  There  were  no 
horses  or  mules  among  the  refugees  to  make  a 
trail  through  the  woods  that  could  be  followed 

406 


CONCLUSION.  407 

by  the  Home  Guards  and  soldiers,  and  no  dogs 
to  attract  their  attention  by  their  baying  ;  but 
there  were  canoes  and  boats  in  plenty,  and, 
except  when  in  use,  they  were  concealed  in 
the  bushes,  so  that  they  could  not  be  seen 
from  the  mainland.  There  were  several  snug 
lean-tos  in  the  camp,  to  which  the  refugees  re- 
treated in  stormy  weather  ;  but,  when  the  ele- 
ments were  friendly,  they  preferred  to  wrap 
themselves  in  their  blankets,  and  sleej)  under 
the  trees.  When  the  newcomer  opened  his 
eyes  on  this  particular  morning,  the  first  object 
they  rested  on  was  the  bearded  face  of  Ben 
Hawkins,  the  paroled  prisoner.  He  was  lying 
under  the  same  tree,  and  had  been  waiting  half 
an  hour  for  Marcy  to  wake  up. 

"I  reckon  it  does  you  good  to  sleep  in  the 
open  air,"  were  the  lirst  words  he  spoke. 

"  Want  of  sleep  is  something  that  never 
troubles  me,"  was  the  reply.  "Were  you  out 
with  the  Home  Guards  last  night  ?  And  how 
did  they  treat  my  mother  after  they  got  into 
the  house  T' 

"Didn't  I  say  that  the  first  one  amongst 'em 
who  looked  cross-ways  at  her,  or  said  anything 


408  MARCy,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

out  of  the  way,  would  have  to  answer  to  me 
for  it?"  demanded  Hawkins.  "I  said  that 
much  to  'em  before  we  went  into  your  yard  ; 
and — well,  them  Home  Guards  know  me." 

*'I  assure  you  that  I  shall  not  forget  it," 
said  Marcy  gratefully.  "I  hope  you  did  not 
say  or  do  anything  to  add  to  their  suspicions. 
You  know  you  told  me  they  were  afraid  to 
trust  you.  And  why  did  you  come  here  in- 
stead of  going  home  ? " 

" I  don't  care  a  cent  if  they  distrust  me  now 
more'n  they  did  before,"  answered  Hawkins. 
"I'm  watching  'em,  and  they'll  have  to  get  up 
in  the  morning  to  get  the  start  of  me.  And  I 
come  to  camp  to  see  if  you  was  here,  and  lind 
out  if  it  was  that  little  nigger's  yelling  that 
warned  you." 

"That  was  just  it,"  replied  Marcy.  "If 
Beardsley  hadn't  caught  him,  he  would  surely 
have  caught  me.  What  did  Beardsley  have 
to  say  for  himself  ?  " 

"He  was  purty  bad  hurt,  I  tell  you  ;  and 
we  had  to  hold  him  in  the  hoss-trough  for  as 
much  as  a  minute  before  he  came  to.  He's 
bound  to  kill  that  nigger.     He  didn't  see  him 


CONCLUSION^.  409 

have  no  club  in  his  hand  when  he  ketched 
him." 

"Julius  never  struck  him  with  a  club,"  ex- 
claimed Marcy.  "  He  gave  him  a  butt  under 
the  ear." 

The  Confederate  uttered  an  ejaculation  in- 
dicative of  the  greatest  astonishment,  and  then 
he  sat  up  on  his  blanket,  reached  over  Marcy' s 
shoulder,  and  began  throwing  aside  the  leaves 
and  branches  until  he  uncovered  a  gray  quilt. 
This  he  pulled  off  in  spite  of  the  desperate 
efforts  of  some  one  beneath  to  prevent  it,  and 
when  he  drew  the  quilt  over  Marcy's  shoulder, 
he  brought  with  it  the  boy  Julius,  who  was 
highly  enraged  because  his  dreamless  slumber 
had  been  so  rudely  disturbed. 

"  Did  you  like  to  butt  the  life  out  of  Cap'n 
Beardsley  last  night?"  inquired  Hawkins. 
"Come  here,  and  let  me  see  how  hard  your 
head  is." 

"Take  you'  hands  off'n  dat  head,"  sputtered 
Julius.  "  I  buck  one  rebel  las'  night,  an'  you 
want  watch  out  dat  I  don't  buck  nodder  one 
dis  mawning."  Then  he  became  good-natured 
all  at  once,  for  he  thought  of  something  he 


410  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

wanted  to  ask  Hawkins.  "What  Beardsley 
say  when  he  seen  his  fine  schooner  go  up  in 
de  clouds?" 

"He  was  mad  and  sorry  and  skeered," 
answered  Hawkins.  "I'll  bet  you,  Mister 
Marcy,  that  he  plum  forgot  about  that 
schooner,  or  he  wouldn't  have  been  in  such  a 
hurry  to  help  Shelby  raise  the  Home  Guards. 
Of  course  we  rode  hard  for  the  fire  as  soon  as 
we  seen  it,  but  we  couldn't  do  no  good  after 
we  got  there.  The  schooner  was  too  far 
gone." 

"Did  Beardsley  find  the  note  I  left  for 
him  ?  "  asked  Marcy. 

"  Shelby  found  it  and  give  it  to  him  ;  and 
it  was  when  he  read  it  that  he  looked  sorry 
and  skeered.  It  was  lucky  you  wrote  it,  for 
it  kept  some  of  the  Home  Guards  from  being 
killed." 

"  How  do  you  make  that  out  ?  " 

"Just  this  a  way,"  answered  Hawkins. 
"They  allowed,  after  they  got  through  Avitli 
you,  to  go  to  the  houses  of  two  more  Union 
men  so' t  you  would  have  company  when  you 
was    took  to   jail.      But  when   Shelby  heard 


CONCLUSION,  411 

your  letter  read  lie  put  for  his  home  quick's 
he  could  go,  some  otliers  wlio  lived  up  his  way- 
went  with  him,  and  that  sorter  broke  up  the 
party.  Leastwise  it  didn't  leave  enough  to 
capture  them  two  Union  men,  who  I  knew 
were  on  the  watch  and  ready  to  shoot.  I  went 
to  their  houses  afterward,  and  brought  them 
into  the  swamp  with  me.  They're  getting 
mighty  tired  of  living  in  this  way,  and  they 
allow  to  rise  up  and  drive  Beardsley  and 
Shelby  out'n  the  country.  There  wouldn't  be 
no  trouble  in  the  settlement  if  them  two  was 
out  of  it." 

"That  is  what  I  think,"  said  Marcy,  "and 
I  wish  that  plan  might  be  put  into  operation 
this  very  day.  What  is  the  use  of  putting  it 
off?     I'll  help." 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on  the 
other  refugees  had  begun  to  show  signs  of  re- 
turning life  and  energy,  and  as  fast  as  they 
arose  from  their  blankets  they  came  up  to 
greet  Marcy,  who  was  not  much  surprised  to 
find  that  he  could  call  every  one  of  them  by 
name.  Those  who  had  rendered  him  such 
good  service  on  the  night  those  Newbern  rob- 


412  MAECY,    THE  REFUGEE. 

bers  raided  his  mother's  house  made  them- 
selves known,  and  of  course  received  the 
hearty  thanks  of  the  boy  they  had  saved  from 
being  hung  up  by  the  neclv.  One  of  them  re- 
marlied  that  he  wished  he  and  liis  friends  had 
served  Hanson  as  they  had  served  tlie  robbers, 
and  this  led  Marcy  to  believe  that  they  had 
made  short  work  with  them  ;  but  he  asked  no 
questions. 

For  men  in  their  circumstances  the  refugees 
were  the  most  jovial  lot  Marcy  Gray  had  ever 
seen.  Having  learned  the  art  of  foraging  to 
perfection  they  lived  on  the  best  the  country 
afforded  ;  they  were  so  well  armed  that  it 
would  not  pay  the  authorities  to  try  to  cap- 
ture them,  even  if  they  had  known  riglit  where 
to  find  them  ;  and  the  secessionists  in  the 
settlement  who  had  property  to  lose  would 
not  i^ermit  the  Confederate  soldiers  to  molest 
their  wives  and  children  if  they  could  possibly 
help  it.  But,  as  Hawkins  said,  they  were  be- 
coming tired  of  living  in  this  way,  and  were 
talking  seriously  of  taking  matters  into  their 
own  hands.  If  the  Federal  garrison  at  Plym- 
outh   could    not    protect    them,    they   would 


coNCLUSioisr.  413 

protect  themselves.  That  was  what  Marcy 
Gray  had  made  up  his  mind  to  do,  and  it  was 
his  intention  to  begin  operations  that  very 
day.  As  soon  as  breakfast  was  over  he  drew 
Hawkins  off  on  one  side  and  took  him  into  his 
confidence  by  unfolding  the  plans  he  had  in 
his  head.  One  was  to  make  a  prisoner  of  his 
mother's  overseer  and  take  him  to  Plymouth  ; 
and  while  there,  to  give  the  Federal  com- 
mander the  names  of  the  men  who  belonged  to 
the  Home  Guards  and  tell  him  what  they  w^ere 
organized  for.  And  lastly  he  would  write 
letters  to  Beardsle^^  and  Shelby,  telling  them 
that  if  they  did  not  move  away  at  once  and 
go  among  the  Confederates,  Avhere  they  ought 
to  have  gone  long  ago,  the  men  whom  they 
had  forced  to  find  refuge  in  the  swamp  would 
destroy  everything  they  had. 

"Tm  with  you  heart  and  soul,  all  except 
going  among  the  Yankees,"  said  Hawkins, 
after  Marcy  had  made  him  understand  Avhat 
he  had  on  his  mind.  'Tm  sorter  jubus  that 
they  won't  let  me  come  away  when  I  want  to. 
Why  couldn't  we  bushwhack  Hanson,  and  not 
go  nigh  Plymouth  at  all? " 


414  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"  Shoot  him  behind  his  back  ? "  cried  Marcy. 
"Look  here,  Hawkins,  I  hope  you  are  not  that 
sort.  I  never  could  look  my  mother  in  the 
face  if  I  should  consent  to  that.  Haven't  you 
something  to  show  that  you  are  a  j)aroled 
prisoner  ? ' ' 

"  Not  the  first  thing.  One  of  my  officers 
signed  for  me." 

"All  right.  Then  you  stand  by  me  till  we 
capture  and  tie  Hanson,  and  I  will  take  him 
down  the  river  myself.  I  have  something  in 
my  pocket  that  will  bring  me  home  all  right. 
And  while  I  am  gone  you  will  deliver  a  couple 
of  letters  for  me,  will  you  not  ? " 

Oh,  yes  ;  Hawkins  w^as  perfectly  willing  to 
do  that,  and  when  he  delivered  the  warning 
letters  he  would  add  a  few  words  of  his  own 
that  would  perhaps  emphasize  what  Marcy 
wrote.  Being  satisfied  with  his  promise  the 
boy  hastened  to  hunt  up  the  portfolio  he  had 
been  thoughtful  enough  to  bring  with  him, 
and  while  he  wrote  the  letters  which  he  hoped 
would  forever  relieve  the  community  of  the 
meanest  men  in  it,  his  Confederate  friend 
busied  himself  in  telling  all  the  rest  of  the 


CONCLUSION.  415 

refugees  what  he  was  writing  about.  Marcy's 
energy  was  contagious  ;  and  by  the  time  he 
and  Hawkins  and  Julius  were  ready  to  start 
on  their  mission,  half  the  men  in  camp  were 
writing  similar  notes,  to  be  delivered  to  certain 
obnoxious  persons  by  other  i:>aroled  prisoners. 
Every  one  of  them  would  have  been  glad  to 
*'  see  Marcy  through,"  as  they  expressed  it,  if 
he  would  agree  that  Hanson  should  be  bush- 
whacked instead  of  being  turned  over  to  the 
Yankees.  Although  they  were  strong  Union 
men,  they  might  not  be  able  to  prove  it  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  Federals,  and  for  that 
reason  they  did  not  care  to  put  themselves  in 
their  power. 

"And  I  don't  blame  you  for  it,"  said  Marcy. 
"  I  wouldn't  dare  go  among  them  myself  if  I 
wasn't  sure  they  would  let  me  come  home 
again.  I  don't  need  any  help,  except  such  as 
Hawkins  is  willing  to  give  me.  If  I  once  get . 
Hanson  afloat,  I  shall  take  him  to  Plymouth, 
unless  he  throws  himself  into  the  river ;  and  I 
know  he  isn't  the  man  to  do  that." 

Everything  being  ready  for  the  start,  Marcy 
and  his  two  companions  crossed  to  the  main- 


416  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

land  in  one  of  the  canoes  which  they  concealed 
among  the  bushes  when  they  reached  the 
bank,  and  set  out  for  Mrs.  Gray's  house,  hold- 
ing such  a  course  that  they  would  jDass  one  of 
Beardsley's  fields  on  the  way.  They  expected 
to  find  him  at  work  there  with  his  negroes,  and 
they  were  not  disappointed.  When  they  dis- 
covered him,  Marcy  drew  his  letters  from  his 
IDocket  and  handed  one  of  them  to  Hawkins, 
who,  after  telling  him  where  he  would  find 
him  again  at  the  end  of  half  an  hour,  climbed 
the  fence  and  set  out  across  the  field.  Marcy 
waited  nntil  he  came  up  with  Beardsley  and 
handed  him  the  letter,  and  then  resumed  his 
walk,  arriving  at  the  j)lace  of  meeting  just 
about  the  time  that  Hawkins  got  there.  The 
latter  was  laughing  all  over. 

"  You  writ  him  a  pretty  sassy  letter,  didn't 
you  ?  "  said  he. 

"I  told  him  what  I  want  him  to  do,  and 
what  he  may  exjDect  if  he  doesn't  do  it,"  was 
Marcy' s  reply.     "  What  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  He  wanted  to  know  where  I  got  the  letter, 
and  I  told  him  I  was  hog-hunting  in  the  woods 
and  met  a  Union  man,  who  asked  me  would  I 


CONCLUSION.  417 

give  it  to  liim,  and  I  said  I  would,"  answered 
Hawkins.  "Then  he  got  mad  and  whooped 
and  hollered,  and  said  he'd  be  shot  if  he  stirred 
one  step  away  from  his  home  ;  but  I  reckon 
he  thought  better  of  it  when  I  told  him  that 
Miss  Gray's  overseer  would  be  in  Plymouth 
to-night,  and  that  a  squad  of  Yankee  cavalry 
would  be  looking  for  him  and  Shelby  to-mor- 
rer.     That  was  all  right,  wasn't  it  ?  " 

"  Perfectly  right.  I  don't  care  a  cent  what 
starts  him,  so  long  as  he  starts.  JSTow  for  Han- 
son. We  ought  to  find  him  in  a  field  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  away  in  this  direction.  I  am 
afraid  he  will  run  when  he  sees  me." 

"  If  he  does  Pll  stop  him,"  replied  Hawkins, 
patting  the  butt  of  a  long  squirrel-rifle  he  car- 
ried on  his  shoulder. 

For  the  first  time  in  many  months  things 
seeded  to  be  Avorking  in  Marcy's  favor;  for 
when  he  and  his  companion  came  within  sight 
of  the  field  in  which  Hanson  ought  to  have 
found  employment  that  day  for  Mrs.  Gray's 
hands,  he  was  there,  and  he  did  not  see  them 
until  after  they  had  crossed  the  fence  and  made 
considerable  progress  toward  him.     The  sight 

27 


418  MAKCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

of  Marcy  made  Hanson  uneasy — Ms  actions 
proved  that — and  it  is  probable  that  he  would 
have  taken  to  his  heels  if  the  boy  had  not  been 
in  the  company  of  a  Confederate  soldier  who 
was  also  a  member  of  the  Home  Guards.  Still 
he  must  have  feared  treachery,  for  when  Marcy 
approached  close  enough  to  speak  to  him,  he 
saw  that  his  face  was  very  white,  and  that  his 
hands  trembled  so  violently  he  could  scarcely 
hold  his  knife  and  the  stick  he  was  trying  to 
cut. 

"Morning,  gentlemen,"  said  he  with  a  strong 
effort  to  appear  at  his  ease.  "  Fine  morning, 
this  morning." 

"  Cicero,"  said  Marcy,  addressing  one  of  the 
field  hands  and  j)aying  no  sort  of  attention  to 
the  overseer's  greeting,  "unless  you  receive 
other  orders  from  my  mother,  you  will  have 
charge  of  this  work  until  I  return,  Hanson  is 
going  with  me." 

"  AVith  you.  Mister  Marcy  !  "  said  the  man, 
in  a  weak  voice.  "The  missus  done  told  me  to 
come  out  here." 

"She  gave  you  no  orders  whatever,  and 
you  have  not  seen  her  this  morning.     I  order 


CONCLUSION.  419 

yoii  to  get  ready  to  go  to  Plymouth,"  answered 
Marcy  ;  whereupon  Hawkins  placed  his  ritie 
upon  the  ground  and  drew  a  rope  from  one  of 
his  pockets. 

Never  in  his  life  had  Marcy  seen  a  man  so 
astonished  and  frightened  as  the  overseer  was 
at  that  moment.  He  dared  not  resist,  and  he 
could  not  speak  when  Hawkins  drew  his  arms 
behind  his  back  and  fastened  them  there  with 
the  roi:)e.  As  to  the  negroes,  who  were  quick 
to  understand  the  situation,  they  would  have 
danced  and  shouted  for  joy  had  they  not  known 
that  such  a  demonstration  would  be  displeas- 
ing to  their  young  master ;  so  they  contented 
themselves  with  bringing  forward  one  of  tlieir 
number,  who  bared  his  brawny  shoulder,  and 
by  the  action  called  Marcy' s  attention  to  a 
long  ugly-looking  welt  that  had  been  left  there 
by  a  blow  from  the  overseer's  raw-hide. 

"Whoop!"  yelled  Julius;  and,  to  quote 
from  the  field  hands,  he  immediately  "drapped 
his  wing";  that  is  to  say,  he  humped  up  his 
shoulders  and  back,  dropped  his  chin 
upon  his  breast,  raised  one  foot  from  the 
ground,  and  began  hopping  toward  the  overseer 


420  MAECY,    THE  EEFUGEE. 

on  the  other.  In  a  minute  more  Hanson  would 
have  been  served  as  Captain  Beardsley  was  the 
night  before,  if  Marcy  had  not  put  a  stop  to 
the  little  darky's  antics  by  taking  hold  of  his 
collar  and  giving  him  a  twist  that  sent  him  ten 
feet  away. 

"  I  know  what  you  uns  are  going  to  do,  and  I 
aint  no  ways  scared  of  you,"  said  Hanson,  who 
at  last  mustered  up  courage  enough  to  speak  ; 
but  his  white  face  and  trembling  limbs  belied 
his  words.  "My  friends  will  make  you  suffer 
for  this." 

"  That's  all  right,"  said  Hawkins  cheerfully. 
"If  they  don't  leave  the  country  this  very 
night,  like  they  have  been  told  to  do,  you  will 
see  'em  in  Plymouth  to-morrer.  Now,  will  you 
go  peaceable,  or  shall  I  walk  you  along  by  the 
neck?" 

The  Confederate  soldier  picked  up  his  rifle 
and  waved  his  hand  in  tlie  direction  of  the 
great  house,  and  the  prisoner  started  toward  it 
without  hesitating  or  saying  another  word  ; 
while  Marcy  ran  on  ahead  to  tell  his  mother 
what  he  had  done.  Although  the  field  was  in 
plain  sight  no  one  about  the  house  had  noticed 


coNCLUSioisr.  421 

that  there  was  anything  unusual  going  on,  and 
Marcy  went  in  at  the  side  door  and  made  his 
way  to  his  mother's  room  before  she  knew  he 
was  on  the  plantation.  Marcj^  did  some  rapid 
talking,  for  time  was  precious,  and  he  might 
be  in  danger  as  long  as  he  remained  with  her  ; 
but  he  told  her  of  every  tiling  that  had  happened 
to  him  since  the  Home  Guards  drove  him  from 
home,  and  when  he  said  that  he  and  Julius 
were  on  their  way  to  Plymouth  to  deliver  Han- 
son into  the  hands  of  the  Federals,  she  did  not 
try  to  turn  him  from  his  purpose.  She  simply 
said  that  she  thought  he  was  engaged  in  a  des- 
perate undertaking. 

"Desperate  cases  require  desperate  reme- 
dies," answered  Marcy,  looking  out  of  the 
window  just  as  Hawkins  and  his  prisoner 
passed  by.  The  soldier  was  walking  by  Han- 
son's side  and  Julius  was  acting  as  rear-gnard, 
advancing  first  on  one  foot  and  then  on  the 
other,  and  all  the  while  shaking  his  head  as  if 
he  were  possessed  by  an  almost  irresistible 
desire  to  plant  it  in  the  small  of  the  overseer's 
back.  "Here  he  is  now,"  continued  Marcy. 
"  Come  and  take  a  last  look  at  him." 


422  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

"I  don't  want  to,"  replied  Mrs.  Gray.  "I 
hope  I  sliall  never  see  liim  again." 

"  That  is  what  I  hope,  and  what  I  am  work- 
ing for,"  said  Marcy.  "  Good -by,  and  remem- 
ber that  I  will  stop  here  on  my  way  to  camp. 
Don't  worry,  for  I  am  going  among  friends." 

So  saying,  Marcy  ran  down  the  stairs  and 
ont  of  the  house.  Arriving  at  the  landing  he 
found  there  but  one  boat  suitable  for  his  pur- 
pose, and  that  was  the  skiff  Captain  Benton 
gave  him  on  the  night  he  left  the  gunboat.  It 
was  old  and  leaky,  but  large  enough  to  accom- 
modate three ;  so  it  was  shoved  from  the 
bank  and  Hanson  was  assisted  to  the  seat  he 
was  to  occupy  in  the  bow.  Then  Julius  got  in 
and  picked  up  the  oars,  while  Marcy  lingered 
to  take  leave  of  Ben  Hawkins. 

"Like  as  not  you'll  come  back  all  right," 
said  the  latter. 

"I  lioi)e  to,  certainly,"  answered  Marcy. 
"  Take  care  of  yourself  while  I  am  gone,  and 
remember  that  I  am  under  obligations  to 
you," 

"  So  am  I,"  exclaimed  Hanson,  who  had  had 
leisure  to  think  the  matter  over  and  get  a  few 


CONCLUSION.  423 

of  his  wits  about  him.  "You're  a  traitor, 
Ben  Hawkins,  and  I'll  see  that  the  Home 
Guards  know  it.  You're  a  Confederate  sol- 
dier, too,  and  I'll  take  pains  to  tell  the 
Yankees  of  that." 

"  Hursh  yer  noise,  dar  !  "  said  Julius,  look- 
ing over  his  shoulder  and  scowling  fiercely  at 
the  overseer.  "  If  I  drap  my  wing  at  you, 
you  drax3  overboard,  suah's  you " 

"That  will  do,"  said  Marcy,  stepping  into 
the  stern-sheets.   "  Shove  us  off,  Mr.  Hawkins." 

This  being  done,  Julius  gave  way  on  the 
oars,  and  the  great  house  and  its  surroundings 
were  quickly  left  out  of  sight.  Then  Marcy 
threw  open  his  coat  and  drew  his  holsters  in 
front  of  him,  so  that  he  could  easily  lay  hold 
of  the  revolvers  that  were  in  them.  He  did 
not  think  he  would  have  any  trouble  with  his 
prisoner,  or  that  he  would  be  called  upon  to 
defend  himself  against  the  Home  Guards  ;  but 
he  was  prepared  for  an  emergency. 

It  was  a  long  and  tedious  journey  that  Marcy 
had  undertaken,  for  there  was  no  one  to  talk 
to,  and  nothing  to  see  that  he  had  not  seen  a 
hundred  times  before  ;  but  it  was  brought  to 


424  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

an  end  about  three  in  the  afternoon,  when  the 
strong  current  in  the  Roanoke  River  carried 
his  boat  within  sight  of  a  Union  sentry  on 
the  bank.  The  hitter  faced  them  promptly, 
brought  his  piece  to  "arms  port,"  and  called 
out : 

"  Wlio  comes  there  ? " 

"  Two  friends  with  a  rebel  prisoner,"  replied 
Marcy  ;  and,  to  his  intense  amazement,  Han- 
son twisted  himself  around  on  his  seat,  and 
flatly  contradicted  him  by  saying  : 

'"Taint  so.  Mister  Soldier.  It's  two  rebels 
with  a  Union  prisoner.  I'm  so  strong  for  the 
old  flag  that  the  rebels  won't  let  me " 

"  Halt,  two  friends  Avitli  a  rebel  prisoner  !  " 
shouted  the  sentry,  who  Avas  not  the  proper 
person  to  decide  any  difference  of  opinion 
there  might  be  between  the  boy  who  sat  in  the 
stern-sheets,  with  a  steering-oar  in  his  hand, 
and  the  man  who  sat  in  the  bow  with  his  arms 
tied  behind  his  back.  "Corporal  of  the  guard 
number  eight !  " 

The  only  way  to  halt  in  that  current  was  to 
bring  the  boat  ashore,  and  this  Marcy  and 
Julius  proceeded  to  do.     They  were  all  on  the 


CONCLUSION".  425 

bank  when  the  corporal  came  up,  and  Hanson 
would  have  given  Marcy  a  very  black  character 
indeed  if  the  non-commissioned  officer  had 
been  disposed  to  listen  to  him  ;  but  he  said  he 
didn'  t  want  to  hear  a  word  of  it,  and  ordered 
Marcy  to  take  off  his  revolvers.  When  this 
had  been  done,  and  the  corporal  had  the  belt 
in  his  hand,  he  demanded  : 

"  Now,  then,  what  do  you  want  1 " 

"  Of  course  I  shall  have  to  tell  my  story  to 
the  officer  of  the  day,  but  I  should  like  much 
to  see  Captain  Burrows,"  replied  Marcy. 

"Captain  Burrows  happens  to  be  officer  of 
the  day,"  said  the  corporal,  who  no  doubt 
wondered  how  Marcy  came  to  be  acquainted 
with  him.  "Come  on,  and  I  will  take  you  to 
him." 

"  It  might  be  well  to  release  this  man," 
suggested  Marcy.  "He  has  been  confined  a 
good  while." 

"No,  I  guess  I  will  turn  him  over  just  as  I 
got  him, ' '  said  the  soldier.  ' '  Then  the  captain 
can't  find  any  fault  with  me." 

Not  to  dwell  upon  the  particulars  of  Marcy' s 
visit  to  Plymouth,  it  will  be  enough  to  say 


426  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

that  he  found  Captain  Burrows  at  the  office  of 
the  provost  marshal,  and  that  he  was  just  as 
sociable  and  friendly  as  he  was  when  sitting 
in  one  of  Mrs.  Gray's  easy-chairs  examining 
Marcy's  guns,  and  talking  to  him  about  the 
shooting  on  the  plantation.  He  listened 
patiently  and  Avith  evident  satisfaction  to  the 
boy's  statements,  and  then  took  him  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  colonel  commanding  the 
post ;  leaving  Hanson,  who  would  have  been 
dull  indeed  if  he  had  not  realized  by  this  time 
that  he  was  in  the  -worst  scrape  of  his  life,  to 
the  care  of  the  provost  marshal.  When  Marcy 
turned  to  look  at  him  as  he  left  the  marshal's 
office,  he  told  himself  that  Hanson  was  in  a 
fair  way  to  see  the  inside  of  a  Northern  prison 
pen. 

He  had  not  talked  with  the  colonel  more 
than  five  minutes  before  the  latter  became 
aware  that  Marcy  could  tell  him  the  very 
things  he  most  wished  to  know  regarding  the 
condition  of  the  Union  people  who  lived  out- 
side his  lines.  Almost  every  statement  he 
made  was  reduced  to  writing  by  one  of  the  or- 
derlies, and  when  the  interview  was  ended  at 


CONCLUSION.  427 

ten  o'clock  tlitit  niglit,  Marcy  received  the 
thanks  of  the  commandant  and  the  assurance 
that  tlie  Home  Guards  should  be  scattered  or 
captured  without  loss  of  time,  and  his  home 
made  a  safe  place  for  him  to  live.  Captain 
Burrows  offered  to  take  good  care  of  him  and 
his  servant  if  he  would  remain  all  night,  but 
Marcy  was  so  anxious  to  tell  his  mother  the 
good  news  that  he  thought  he  had  better  start 
for  home  at  once  ;  so  he  Avas  given  the  coun- 
tersign, and  a  pass  commanding  all  guards  and 
patrols  to  permit  him  to  enter  or  leave  the  lines 
at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night,  and  Captain 
Burrows  furnished  him  with  a  generous  lunch 
and  went  with  him  to  his  boat  to  see  him  off. 

"  Good-by,  Marcy,  but  not  for  long,"  said 
he.  "  If  I  have  any  influence  with  the  colonel, 
I  shall  be  riding  around  in  your  neighborhood 
to-morrow  afternoon  ;  and  when  this  cruel  war 
is  over,  I  am  coming  down  here  on  purpose  to 
go  quail-shooting  with  you." 

"  Take  care  of  the  Home  Guards,  and  drive 
the  rebels  away  from  Williamston,  and  you  can 
go  quail-shooting  any  time,"  replied  Marcy. 
"  But  I  am  afraid  it  will  be  a  long  time  before 


428  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

that  will  come  to  pass,  or  my  home  will  be  a 
safe  place  for  me  to  live,"  he  soliloquized, 
as  he  settled  back  in  the  stern  of  the  boat  and 
looked  up  at  the  stars  while  Julius  plied  the 
oars.  "Captain  Beardsley  will  be  forced  to 
leave  the  country  and  so  will  Colonel  Shelby  ; 
but  they  will  go  straight  to  Williamston  or 
some  other  place  that  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
Confederates,  and  send  first  one  scouting  party 
and  then  another  into  the  settlement  to  trouble 
us  Union  people." 

That  was  what  Marcy  thought,  and  it  was 
what  he  told  his  mother  when  he  reached  home 
the  next  morning  ;  and  knowing  that  the  Fed- 
eral colonel  had  not  yet  had  time  to  "  capture 
or  scatter"  the  Home  Guards,  he  did  not  re- 
main long  in  the  house,  but  ate  a  hasty  break- 
fast and  set  out  for  the  camp  of  the  refugees, 
walking  under  cover  of  all  the  fences,  and  mak- 
ing use  of  every  bush  and  inequality  of  the 
ground  to  conceal  him  from  the  view  of  any 
one  who  might  chance  to  be  passing  along  the 
road.  It  was  well  that  these  precautions  were 
adopted  ;  for  when  he  and  Julius  were  safe  in 
the  woods  they  looked  back  and  saw  about 


co]^j-CLUSioisr.  429 

twenty  mounted  men  enter  the  yard  and  sur- 
round the  house.  They  were  the  Home 
Guards,  and  had  been  sent  there  by  Beardsley 
and  Shelby,  who  knew  that  Marcy  would  be 
sure  to  visit  his  mother  on  his  return  from 
Plymouth.  They  were  in  the  house  half  an 
hour  or  more,  but  went  away  as  empty-handed 
as  they  came. 

"That  means  the  loss  of  more  property  for 
you,  Captain  Beardsley,"  said  Marcy  to  him- 
self :  and  when  the  other  refugees  heard  of  it 
they  said  the  same  thing,  and  vowed  to  make 
their  words  good  that  very  night  ;  but,  about 
one  o'clock  that  afternoon,  one  of  the  paroled 
prisoners  came  into  camp  with  the  information 
that  he  had  barely  escaped  falling  into  the 
hands  of  a  squad  of  Federal  cavalry  who  were 
raiding  the  settlement,  and  that  Beardsley  and 
Shelby  were  being  punished  already  for  the 
rows  they  had  kicked  up  in  the  neighborhood. 

"I  was  hid  in  my  corn-crib  when  the 
Yankees  went  by  my  house,"  said  the  soldier, 
"and  the  feller  in  command  of 'em  was  the 
same  chap  I  seed  with  'em  once  before.  They 
had   scooped   in  as   many  as   a  dozen  of  the 


430  MARCY,    THE   REFUGEE. 

meanest  of  the  Home  Guards,  Beardsley  and 
Shelby  amongst  'em,  and  were  taking  'em  off 
Plymouth  way.  My  old  hat  riz  on  my  head 
when  I  heard  Beardsley  tell  the  Yankee  cap'n 
that  if  he'd  go  into  my  house  he'd  ketch  a 
rebel  soldier  in  there,  but  that  there  Yankee 
cap'n  'lowed  that  he  knowed  what  he  was 
doing,  and  that  he  wasn't  hunting  no  paroled 
prisoners.  Now,  who  do  you  reckon  told  him 
that  a  paroled  prisoner  lived  in  my  house  ?  " 

"I  did,"  replied  Marcy.  "I  said  a  good 
word  for  you  wiiile  I  w^as  in  Plymouth,  and 
the  Yankee  colonel  said  that,  if  anybody 
bothered  you  paroled  rebels,  it  would  be  your 
own  men  and  not  his.  You  have  brought  me 
good  new^s." 

But  all  the  same  it  did  not  bring  the  quiet 
home  life  which  Marcy  thought  would  be  his 
when  those  arch-disturbers  of  the  peace  of  the 
settlement  were  carried  away  from  it,  for  the 
Confederate  authorities  interfered  with  his 
plans.  In  April  they  i)assed  their  first  general 
Conscription  Act,  making  all  the  able-bodied 
men  in  the  Confederacy  between  the  ages  of 
eighteen  and  thirty-five    subject  to   military 


CONCLUSIOiS".  431 

duty,  revoked  all  leaves  of  absence,  and 
ordered  every  soldier  to  report  at  once  to  his 
command  on  pain  of  being  treated  as  a 
deserter.  The  Act  provided  for  the  exemp- 
tion of  those  who  were  able  to  pay  for  it,  but 
Marcy  did  not  know  it ;  and  supposing  that 
he  was  as  likely  to  be  conscripted  as  anj^body 
else,  he  j)assed  the  most  of  his  time  in  camp, 
where  he  knew  he  was  safe.  We  have  no 
space  in  this  book  to  tell  of  the  other  adven- 
tures that  fell  to  his  lot,  and  so  we  must  leave 
him  here  for  the  X)resent  while  we  take  up  the 
history  of  t\vo  of  our  Confederate  heroes, 
Rodney  Gray  and  Dick  Graham,  whom  we 
last  saw  in  Rodney's  home  in  a  distant  State. 
They  were  full-fledged  soldiers  as  you  know, 
having  served  fifteen  months  in  Price's  army 
and  Bragg* s.  They  had  their  discharges  in 
their  pockets  and  were  inclined  to  say,  with 
Ben  Hawkins,  that  they  would  not  do  any 
more  fighting  for  the  Confederacy  until  some 
"stay-at-homers,"  whose  names  they  could 
mention,  had  had  a  chance  to  see  how  they 
liked  it.  Dick  Graham  was  homesick  and 
longed  to  see  his  father  and  mother  ;  but  they 


432  MARCY,    THE   EEFUGEE. 

were  somewhere  in  Missouri,  and  Dick  could 
not  get  to  them  without  crossing  the  Mis- 
sissippi, which  was  closely  guarded  by  the 
Union  navy.  There  was  no  way  to  get  around 
it,  however,  and  that  river  had  to  be  crossed  ; 
and  how  they  made  one  unsuccessful  attempt 
after  another  to  reach  the  opposite  bank  ;  how 
Rodney  Gray  managed  to  keep  out  of  the 
army  in  spite  of  the  efforts  that  were  made  to 
force  him  into  it ;  and  how  he  turned  the 
tables  on  his  old  enemy  Tom  Randolph,  and 
his  Home  Guards,  who  tried  to  bring  him  into 
trouble  with  the  Federals  in  Baton  Rouge, 
shall  be  told  in  the  next  volume  of  this  series, 
which  will  be  entitled  "Rodney,  the  Over- 
seer. " 


THE  end. 


The 

Famous 

Castlemon 

Books. 

BY 

Harry 
Castlemon. 


Specimen  Cover  of  the  Gunboat 
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Marcy,  the  Blockade  Runner    . i  25 

OUR  FELLOWS  ;  or.  Skirmishes  with  the  Swamp 
Dragoons.  By  Harry  Castlemon.  i6mo.  Fully  illus- 
trated.    Cloth,  extra,  printed  in  colors.     In  box  ...    J?I   25 


Alger's 

Renowned 

Books. 

BY 

Horatio 
Alger,  Jr. 


Specimen  Cover  of  the  Ragged 
Dick  Series. 

Horatio  Alger,  Jr.,  has  attained  distinction  as  one  of  the  most  popular 
writers  of  books  for  boys,  and  the  following  list  comprises  all  of  his  best 
books. 

■^*jf  Any  volume  sold  separately. 

RAGGED  DICK  SEKIES.  By  Horatio  Alger, 
Jr.  6  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra, 
printed  in  colors.     In  box f  7  50 

Ragged  Dick  ;  or,  Street  Life  in  New  York    ....      i  25 

Fame   and   Fortune ;   or,  The  Progress  of  Richard 

Hunter I   25 

Mark,  the  Match  Boy  ;  or,  Richard  Hunter's  Ward     i  25 

Rough  and  Ready ;  or.  Life  among  the  New  York 

Newsboys i  25 

Ben,  the  Luggage  Boy  ;  or,  Among  the  Wharves   .      i  25 

Rufus   and   Rose ;   or,  the   Fortunes  of  Rough  and 

Ready I   25 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES.  (First  Series.) 
By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  4  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illus- 
trated.    Cloth,  extra,  printed  in  colors.     In  box  ...      S  00 

(4) 


PORTER  *  COATES'S  POPULAR  JUVENILES.  5 

Tattered  Tom  ;  or,  The  Story  of  a  Street  Arab      .    .  i  25 

Paul,  the  Peddler ;  or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Young 

Street  Merchant I   25 

Phil,  the  Fiddler ;  or,  The  Young  Street  Musician    .  I  25 

Slo-w  and  Sure ;  or,  From  the  Sidewalk  to  the  Shop  i  25 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES.  (Second  Series.) 
4vols.,  i2mo.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth,  extra,  printed 

in  colors.     In  box $5  00 

Julius ;  or  the  Street  Boy  Out  West I  25 

The  Young  Outlaw^ ;  or.  Adrift  in  the  "World  ...  i  25 

Sam's  Chance  and  How  He  Improved  it  .    .    .  i  25 

The  Telegraph  Boy i  25 

LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES.  (First  Series.) 
By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  4  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illus- 
trated.    Cloth,  extra,  printed  in  colors.     In  box  ...  IS5  00 

Luck  and  Pluck  ;  or  John  Oakley's  Inheritance    .    .  i  25 

Sink  or  Swim  ;  or,  Harry  Raymond's  Resolve   ...  I  25 

Strong  and  Steady ;  or.  Paddle  Your  Own  Canoe  .  i  25 

Strive   and    Succeed ;    or,  The  Progress  of  Walter 

Conrad I  25 

LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES.  (Second 
Series.)  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  3  vols.,  i2mo. 
Fully  illustrated.     Cloth,  extra,  printed  in  colors.     In 

box ^5  00 

Try  and  Trust ;  or.  The  Story  of  a  Bound  Boy  ...  i  25 

Bound  to  Rise  ;  or  Harry  Walton's  Motto i  25 

Risen  from  the  Ranks ;  or,  Harry  Walton's  Success  i  25 

Herbert  Carter's  Legacy  ;  or,  The  Inventor's  Son  .  r  25 

CAMPAIGN  SERIES.  By  Horatio  A]ger,  Jr.  3 
vols.,  i2mo.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth,  extra,  printed 

in  colors.     In  box f  3  75 

Prank's  Campaign  ;  or,  The  Farm  and  the  Camp    .  i  25 

Paul  Prescott's  Charge i  25 

Cheurlie  Codman's  Cruise i  25 


6        PORTER  &  COATES'S  POPULAR  JUVENILES. 

BRAVE    AND    BOLD    SERIES.      By   Horatio 

Alger,  Jr.     4   vols.,   l2mo.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth, 

extra,  printed  in  colors.     In  box $5  00 

Brave  and  Bold ;  or,  The  Story  of  a  Factory  Boy  .    .       i  25 

Jack's  Ward  ;  or,  The  Boy  Guardian i  25 

Shifting  for  Himself;  or,  Gilbert  Greyson's  For- 
tunes             I  25 

Wait  and  Hope  ;  or,  Ben  Bradford's  Motto    ....       i  25 

PACIFIC  SERIES.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  4 
vols.  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box $5  00 

The   Young   Adventurer;  or,   Tom's  Trip  Across 

the  Plains i   25 

The  Young  Miner ;  or,  Tom  Nelson  in  California   .       i  25 

The  Young  Explorer  ;  or,  Among  the  Sierras      .    .       i  25 

Ben's  Nugget ;  or,  A  Boy's  Search  for  Fortune.     A 

Story  of  the  Pacific  Coast i  2^ 

ATLANTIC  SERIES.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  4 
vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box $5  00 

The    Young    Circus   Rider;   or,   The   Mystery  of 

Robert  Rudd i   25 

Do  and  Dare  ;  or,  A  Brave  Boy's  Fight  for  Fortune    .       i  2$ 

Hector's  Inheritance  ;  or,  Boys  of  Smith  Institute  .       I  25 

Helping  Himself ;  or.  Grant  Thornton's  Ambition     .       i  2$ 

W^AY  TO  SUCCESS  SERIES.  By  Horatio 
Alger,  Jr.  4  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth, 
extra,  printed  in  colors.     In  box ^5  00 

Bob  Burton i  25 

The  Store  Boy i  25 

Luke  "Walton i  25 

Struggling  Upward i  25 


New  Series 
of  Books. 

Indian  Life 

and 

Character 

Founded  on 

Historical 

Facts. 


Specimen  Cover  of  the  Wyoming 
Senes. 


By  Edward  T.  Ellis. 

0*f,  Any  volume  sold  separately. 


BOY  PIONEER  SERIES.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis. 
3  vols.,  i2mo.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth,  extra,  printed 

in  colors.     In  box if  3  71 

Ned  in  the  Block  House  ;  or,  Life  on  the  Frontier,     i  25 
Ned  in  the  "Woods.     A  Tale  of  the  Early  Days  in 

the  West i  25 

Ned  on  the  River i  25 

DEERFOOT  SERIES.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  In 
box  containing  the  following.     3  vols.,  i2mo.     Illus- 

trated '    '    -    •    •    $3  7S 

Hunters  of  the  Ozark i  25 

Camp  in  the  Mountains i  25 

The  Last  "War  Trail i  25 

LOG  CABIN  SERIES.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis. 
3  vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box $3  7j 

(7) 


8         PORTER  &  COATES'S  POPULAR  JUVENILES. 

Lost  Trail |i  25 

Camp- Fire  and  Wigwam 1  25 

Footprints  in  the  Forest i  25 

"WYOMING  SERIES.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  3 
vols.,  i2mo.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth,  extra,  printed 

in  colors.     In  box ^3  75 

Wyoming i  25 

Storm  Mountain i  25 

Cabin  in  the  Clearing i  25 

Through  Forest  and  Fire.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis. 
i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed  in 
colors I   25 


By  C.  A.  Stephens. 


Rare  books  for  boys — bright,  breezy,  wholesome  and  instructive  ;  full  of 
adveniure  and  incident,  and  information  upon  natural  history.  They  blend 
instruction -with  amusement — contain  much  useful  and  valuable  information 
upon  the  habits  of  animals,  and  plenty  of  adventure,  fun  and  jollity. 

CAMPING  OUT  SERIES.  By  C.  A.  Stephens. 
6vols.,  i2mo.  Fully  illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box ^7  50 

Camping  Out.     As  recorded  by  "  Kit " i  25 

Left  on  Labrador ;  or  The  Cruise  of  the  Schooner 

Yacht  "  Curfew."     As  recorded  by  "  Wash  "    ....       i  25 

Off  to  the  Geysers  ;  or,  The  Young  Yachters  in  Ice- 
land.    As  recorded  by  ''  Wade  " l  25 

Lynx    Hunting,      From   Notes   by  the    author    of 

"  Camping  Out " 125 

Fox  Hunting.    As  recorded  by  "  Raed  " i  25 

On  the  Amazon  ;  or.  The  Cruise  of  the  "  Rambler." 
As  recorded  by  "  Wash  " i  25 


By  J.  T.  Trowbridge. 


These  stories  will  rank  among  the  best  of  Mr.  Trowbridge's  books  for  the 
young — and  he  has  written  some  of  the  best  of  our  juvenile  literature. 

JACK  HAZARD  SERIES.  By  J.  T.  Trowbridge. 
6  vols.,  l2mo.  Fully  Illustrated.  Cloth,  extra,  printed 
in  colors.     In  box ^7  5° 


FORTER  &  COATES'S  POPULAR  JUVENILES.         9 

Jack  Hazard  and  His  Fortunes ;$i  25 

A  Chance  for  Himself;  or,  Jack  Hazard  and  his 

Treasure i  25 

Doing  His  Best i  25 

Fast  Friends i  25 

The  Young  Surveyor  ;  or,  Jack  on  the  Prairies    .  1  2$ 
Lawrence's  Adventures  Among  the  Ice  Cut- 
ters, Glass  Makers,  Coal  Miners,  Iron  Men  and  Ship 

Builders i  25 

—GOOD   BOOKS— 

Suitable  for  Girls  between  the  Ages  of  12  and  15. 

"Ways  and  Means.  A  Story  for  girls.  By  Mar- 
garet Vandegrift.  With  four  illustrations.  i2mo. 
Cloth,  extra *  5° 

The  Queen's  Body-Guard.  A  Story  for  Girls.  By 
Margaret  Vandegrift,  With  four  illustrations.  i2mo. 
Cloth,  extra  .    , ^  5° 

Rose  Raymond's  "Wards.  A  Story  for  Girls.  By 
Margaret  Vandegrift.  Illustrated  with  four  engravings 
on  wood.    i2mo.    Cloth,  extra i  So 

Doris  and  Theodora.  A  Story  for  Girls.  By  Mar- 
garet Vandegrift.  Illustrated  with  four  engravings  on 
wood.     i2mo.     Cloth,  extra i  5° 

Dr.  Gilbert's  Daughters.  A  Story  for  Girls.  By 
Margaret  Harriet  Mathews.  Illustrated  with  four  en- 
gravings on  wood.     i2mo.    Cloth,  extra i   5° 

Esther's  Fortune.  A  Romance  for  Girls.  By  Lucy 
C.  Lillie.  Illustrated.  i2mo.  Cloth,  extra,  brown 
and  gold ....       i  So 

Helen  Glenn  ;  or,  My  Mother's  Enemy.  A  Story  for 
Girls.  By  Lucy  C.  Lillie.  Illustrated  with  eight  illus- 
trations.    i2mo.     Cloth,  extra i  50 

The  Squire's  Daughter.    By  Lucy  C.  Lillie.    i2mo. 

Illustrated.     Cloth,  extra 150 

For  Honor's  Sake.      By   Lucy  C,    Lillie.      i2mo. 

Illustrated.     Cloth,  extra *  S^ 

Marion  Berkley.  A  Story  for  Girls.  By  Lizzie  B. 
Comins  (Laura  Caxton).  i2mo.  Illustrated.  Cloth, 
extra,  brown  and  gold *  25 

Hartwell  Farm.  A  Story  for  Girls.  By  Lizzie  B. 
Comins  (Laura  Caxton).  i2mo.  Illustrated.  Cloth, 
extra,  brown  and  gold I  25 


THE  HANDSOMEST  AND  CHEAPEST  GIFT  BOOKS. 

^ife  "^ells"  Series. 


The"  BELLS  "  Series  has  been  undertaken  by  the  publishers  with  a  view 
to  issue  original  illustrated  poems  of  a  high  character,  at  a  price  within  *,he 
reach  of  all  classes. 

Small  4to.     Cloth,  gilt  edges Ji  5° 

Ivory  surface i  50 

Embossed  calf,  gilt  edges \  50 

GEMS  FROM  TENNYSON. 

By  Alfred  Tennyson.    Elegantly  illustrated  by  Hammatt  Billings. 

BEAUTIES  OF  TENNYSON. 

By  Alfred  Tennyson.  Elegantly  illustrated  with  twenty  engravings,  from 
original  drawings  by  Frederic  B.  SchelK  Beautifully  printed  on  the  finest 
plate  paper. 

FROM  GREENLAND'S  ICY  MOUNTAINS. 

By  Bishop  Heber.  Elegantly  illustrated  with  twenty-two  engravings,  from 
original  drawings  by  Frederic  B.  Schell.  Beautifully  printed  on  the  finest 
plate  paper. 

LADY  CLARE. 

By  Alfred  Tennyson.  Elegantly  illustrated  with  twenty-two  engravings, 
from  original  drawings  by  Alfred  Fredericks,  F.  S.  Church,  Harry  Fenn, 
F  B.  Schell,  E.  P.  Garret  and  Granville  Perkins.  Beautifully  printed  on 
the  finest  plate  paper. 

THE  NIGHT  BEFORE  CHRISTMAS. 

By  Clement  C.  Moore.  Never  before  has  this  popular  poem — a  favorite 
with  both  the  old  and  the  young — been  presented  in  such  a  beautiful  dress. 
It  is  elegantly  illustrated  with  twenty-two  engravings,  from  original  draw- 
ings by  F.  B.  Schell,  W.  T.  Smedley,  A.  Fredericks  and  H.  R.  Poore. 

BINGEN  ON  THE  RHINE. 

By  Caroline  E.  Norton.  Elegantly  illustrated  with  twenty-two  en- 
gravings, from  original  drawings  by  W.  T.  Smedley,  F.  B.  Schell,  A. 
Fredericks,  Granville  Perkins  and  E.  P.  Garrett. 

THE  BELLS. 

By  Edgar  Allan  Pob.  Elegantly  illustrated  with  twenty-two  engravings, 
from  original  drawings  by  F.  O.  C.  Darley,  A.  Fredericks,  Granville 
Perkins  and  others. 

THE  DESERTED  VILLAGE. 

By  Oliver  Goldsmith.  Elegantly  illustrated  with  thirty-five  engravings, 
firom  drawings  by  Hammatt  Billings. 

THE  COTTER'S  SATURDAY  NIGHT. 

'Sv  Robert  Burns.  Elegantly  illustrated  with  fifty  engravings,  fi-om  draw- 
ings by  Chapman. 


^tanborb    j]Jistones. 


History  of  England,  from  the  Accession  of 
James  the  Second.  By  Thomas  Babington 
Macaulay.  Standard  edition.  With  a  steel  portrait 
of  the  author  Printed  from  new  electrotype  plates 
from  the  last  English  edition.  Being  by  far  the  most 
correct    edition   in   the    American   market.     5    vols., 

i2mo.     Cloth,  extra,  per  set $5  00 

Sheep,  marbled  edges,  per  set 7   5° 

Half  Russia  (imitation),  marbled  edges 7  5° 

Half  calf,  gilt lo  OO 

History  of  the  Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman 
Umpire.  By  Edward  Gibbon.  With  notes  by  Rev. 
H.  H.  Milman.  Standard  edition.  To  which  is 
added  a  complete  Index  of  the  work.  A  new  edition 
from  entirely  new  stereotype  plates.     With  portrtit  on 

steel.     5  vols.,  i2mo.     Cloth,  extra,  per  set 5  00 

Sheep,  marbled  edges,  per  set 7  50 

Half  Russia  (imitation),  marbled  edges 7  5° 

Half  calf,  gilt,  per  set 10  00 

History  of  England,  from  the  Invasion  of 
Julius  Caesar  to  the  Abdication  of  James 
the  Second,  1688.  By  David  Hume.  Standard 
edition.  With  the  author's  last  corrections  and  im- 
provements, to  which  is  prefixed  a  short  account  of  his 
life,  written  by  himself.  With  a  portrait  on  steel.  A 
new  edition  from  entirely  new  stereotype  plates.    5 

vols.,  i2mo.     Cloth,  extra,  per  set 5  00 

Sheep,  marbled  edges,  per  set 7  5° 

Half  Russia  (imitation),  marbled  edges 7  50 

Half  calf,  gilt   ...    , 10  00 


]J)]|iscellQneous. 


A  Dictionary  of  the  Bible.  Comprising  its  An- 
tiquities, Biography,  Geography,  Natural  History  and 
Literature.  Edited  by  WiUiam  Smith,  LL.D.  Re- 
vised and  adapted  to  the  present  use  of  Sunday-school 
Teachers  and  Bible  Students  by  Revs.  F.  N.  and 
M.  A.  Peloubet.     With  eight  colored  maps  and  440 

engravings  on  wood.     8vo.     Cloth,  extra ^2  00 

Sheep,  marbled  edges 3  00 

Half  morocco,  gilt  top 3  50 

History  of  the  Civil  War  in  America.     By  the 

Comte  de  Paris.  Translated  with  the  approval  of  the 
author.  With  maps  faithfully  engraved  from  the  origi- 
nals, and  printed  in  three  colors.     8vo. 

Cloth,  extra,  per  vol 3  50 

Red  cloth,  extra,  Roxburgh  style,  uncut  edges,  per  vol.     3  50 

Sheep,  library  style,  per  vol 4  SO 

Half  Turkey  morocco,  per  vol 6  00 

Volumes  I,  H,  HI  and  IV  now  ready,  put  up  in  a  neat 
box,  or  any  volume  sold  separately. 

The  Battle  of  Gettysburg.     By  the  Comte  de  Paris. 

With  maps.     8vo.     Cloth,  extra i   50 

Comprehensive  Biographical  Dictionary.  Em- 
bracing accounts  of  the  most  eminent  persons  of  all 
ages,  nations  and  professions.  By  E.  A.  Thomas. 
Crown  Svo. 

Cloth,  extra,  gilt  top 2  50 

Sheep,  marbled  edges 3  00 

Half  morocco,  gilt  top 3  50 

Half  Russia,  gilt  top 4  50 

The  Amateur  Photographer.  A  manual  of  photo- 
graphic manipulations  intended  especially  for  begin- 
ners and  amateurs,  with  suggestions  as  to  the  choice  of 
apparatus  and .  of  processes.  By  Ellerslie  Wallace, 
Jr.,  M.D.  New  edition,  with  two  new  chapters  on 
paper  negatives  and  microscopic  photography.     1 2mo. 

Limp  morocco,  sprinkled  edges i  00 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

Wilmer 
460 


